Opium has antidiarrheal and analgesic effects, but long-term use will be addictive. During the period of Zhengde in Ming Dynasty, opium was imported as a medicinal material.

As early as the end of the Ming Dynasty, drug addicts appeared. After entering the Qing Dynasty, the number of drug addicts increased. At the beginning of Qing Dynasty, there was a cigarette shop that specialized in providing opium, which "made opium into paste, then mixed it with shredded tobacco and dried it to make cigarettes" to "make profits".

When I smoked opium for the first time, I was "dizzy like a drunk" and "I could stay up all night".

"Rogue schoolyard bullies, get together to drink at night, has become an atmosphere. When drinking, it is accompanied by more than a dozen dishes of honey and fresh fruit to lure latecomers. When you first went to a restaurant, you didn't need money. If you stay for a long time, you can't help it. " "It's because young children easily fall into art. When they get old, their blood will dry up and their flesh will fall off. Even if they know that they are harmed by opium, they will be riddled with diseases. " "Even the family business is exhausted, saying that there is no way to borrow it." After Ganjia, many nobles' children, soldiers of the Eight Banners and officials at all levels became addicts, and even eunuchs in the palace stole opium. Zhang Jinpu, a great eunuch who lived in Qianlong, Jiaqing and Daoguang dynasties, took drugs for more than 30 years. Under the temptation of Zhang, many eunuchs began to take drugs.

In fact, the empress dowager has heard the wind. Although she ordered a strict investigation, after the change of Lin Qingzhi, she often turned a blind eye to eunuchs for fear of making another shocking collusion bandit case.

It is easy to take drugs, but difficult to get rid of them. Many drug addicts, "knowing the harm, can't quit", "if they don't smoke for a day, they will shrink their faces", "if they are distracted, they will die, just drink again" and "hopeless"

In order to help drug addicts get rid of drugs and avoid the bad luck of family destruction, various remedies were circulated at that time. However, due to the dependence of drug addicts, all the remedies are either abandoned or tasted.

From the sixth year of Yongzheng (1728), orders were issued prohibiting opium trafficking and opening cigarette houses.

At this point, the opium trade, which lasted for nearly two centuries in the name of imported medicinal materials, was suspended.

At that time, the main country engaged in opium trade with China was Britain, which transported Indian opium produced during the colonial period to nearby China.

On the one hand, Indian farmers are encouraged to grow poppies by providing loans; on the other hand, during the processing, "the evaporation of poppies and the preparation of opium are suitable for the tastes of opium users in China".

British opium merchants and the British government made huge profits in the evil opium trade. A box of opium transported from India to China can earn 1820 silver dollars (the cost of a box of opium is about 180 silver dollars, and the price of transporting it to China is 2000 silver dollars). Opium tax alone accounts for 42.7% of British government tax revenue.

Therefore, the British government and British opium dealers will never give up this evil trade, but turn it from open import to secret smuggling.

The British East India Company, which is in charge of opium production, has people smuggle opium in special boxes, transport it to Calcutta, auction it to opium dealers, and then smuggle it to the coast of China by opium dealers.

British opium dealers bribed local officials of the Qing court and patrol officers and soldiers in charge of smuggling, which made opium smuggling unimpeded.

Driven by interests, opium smuggling is increasingly rampant.

Sixty years after Qianlong, 4,000 boxes of opium were smuggled to China, and seven years after Daoguang, more than 10,000 boxes. Twenty thousand cases were smuggled in the 11th year of Daoguang (183 1 year) and nearly thirty thousand cases in the 18th year of Daoguang (1838).

Before opium was smuggled into the country in large quantities, the Qing Dynasty maintained an advantageous position in foreign trade.

China's tea and silk products sell well in the international market and are exported to Europe, America and Southeast Asia, but foreign woolen goods can't open the market in China. Every year, millions of silver dollars are imported from Europe to China.

After Ganjia, a large amount of opium was smuggled into China, which made China change from a super exporter to a super exporter in foreign trade.

In order to pay for opium smuggled into China, a large amount of silver flowed out, which led to an increase in the price of silver.

The rise in the price of silver will inevitably lead to the imbalance in the price of silver and copper coins (also known as making money).

The official salaries paid by the court to officials and soldiers are silver, and the money and grain paid by the people to the Qing court should also be converted into silver. However, private transactions and market transactions mainly use copper coins.

Therefore, whether the price comparison between money and money is reasonable and stable is directly related to the national economy and people's livelihood.

In the early Qing dynasty, one or two silver coins were exchanged for one thousand copper coins.

At that time, the Qing government banned private copper mining, and Kangxi recovered Taiwan Province Province. After the lifting of the maritime ban, millions of silver dollars were imported every year, and the price of silver fell.

At the end of Kangxi, the ratio of money to money became 1: 900, at the end of Yongzheng, it was 1: 800, and at the beginning of Qianlong, it developed to 1: 700.

However, in the middle of the Qianlong period, due to opium smuggling and silver outflow, the price of silver rose, and the price of silver and money rose to 1: 850. When we arrive in Qianlong and Jiaqing, one or two pieces of silver can be exchanged for 13400 pieces of copper coins.

By the time of Jiaqing, the price of silver had risen to about 1600, which made the people pay more money to convert it into silver.

On the surface, the rulers of the Qing dynasty did not add land tax, but actually passed on the burden of rising silver prices to the people.

If only eunuchs around us smoke opium, but now the warehouses of the British East India Company engaged in opium smuggling have risen to the price of silver, the Queen Mother can't turn a blind eye even if she wants to. She must find a way to solve the problem of silver outflow ...