The destruction of opium in Humen shows the sacredness of the Chinese nation, combats the arrogance of foreign powers and upholds the determination of the Chinese nation to ban smoking. 1839 65438+1At the beginning of October, Lin Zexu braved the snowstorm and went all the way south from Beijing to Guangdong. Along the way, he has a good strategy. On the way, he ordered the arrest of many cigarette dealers. The news spread to Guangdong, scaring some officials who smoked opium.
Deng Tingzhen, then the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and Guan Tianpei, then the Guangdong Navy, were very happy to learn that Lin Zexu, an imperial envoy, had gone to Guangdong to ban smoking. At this time in Guangdong, these two people are honest and upright, and they are worried about the country and the people. When Lin Zexu arrived, they led civil and military officials to meet him. Lin Zexu and the two are old friends and know each other very well. Lin Zexu also attaches great importance to them, which can be said to be his confidant.
After Lin Zexu arrived in Guangzhou, he did not take immediate action to ban smoking. But first from Guan Tianpei to Deng Tingzhen. The latter three reached an agreement, first arresting important opium users and severely punishing officials who harbor and smuggle opium, and then issuing an announcement to prohibit opium consumption, and once found, severely punishing one.
Lin Zexu's first official who fined the package was Wu Shaorong, a Taoist with three qualities. He is guilty. He didn't choose an official in the imperial examination, but made a fortune by smuggling opium. At that time, he was politically corrupt and had money to buy and sell officials. Wu Shaorong bought an official with three products, and he is good at flattering. There are many big officials in the imperial court because he made a windfall, so he has many backers in officialdom and consolidated his position.
Lin Zexu is not afraid of powerful people. After the arrest, he thought that money could buy people's hearts, so he sent a lot of gold and silver treasures to Lord Lin. Finally, Lord Lin refused to eat hard or soft, knowing that he was in danger. Later, Lord Lin ordered Wu Shaorong to be executed as a punishment. What he wanted was the determination to ban smoking. Other officials suspected of smuggling opium, buying and selling officials, and committing crimes of sheltering may make amends. Be sure to help Lin Zexu ban smoking together in advance, hand over his embezzled money, wash his hands of it, and do his best to ban smoking.
This time, * * * seized more than 20,000 boxes of opium and won the smoking ban for the first time, which cheered the whole city of Guangzhou. After the news reached the capital, Daoguang ordered: "Destroy it on the spot to show the prestige of our country"! After receiving the imperial edict, Lin Zexu destroyed opium in Humen on June 3, 1839. At that time, colorful flags were shining in Humen, gongs and drums were loud, and countless people came to watch. The destruction of opium in Humen took 23 days, and more than 2 million kilograms were destroyed.