Lin Zexu's Anti-Opium Measures and His Cognition before the Opium War
Lin Zexu was ordered to go to Guangdong to ban opium,which is not only a political task,but also an economic and social mission.After arriving in Guangzhou,Lin Zexu took swift measures to ban opium,such as focusing on opium abuse,forcing the British to hand over opium,urging the British to surrender the killer,driving the British out of Macao,and cutting off trade with British businessmen.Charles Elliot,who was Superintendent of British trade in China,had become increasingly tough,from initially compromising on opium to opposing the formation of a bond,refusing to hand over the killer,clashing at sea with the Qing army and so on.Lin Zexu concluded that Elliot were to find ways to support the private sale of opium.Elliot wanted to negotiate with Lin Zexu to establish a trade system that was beneficial to Britain.The communication barriers and constantly overlapping contradictions between the two sides stimulated the outbreak of the war.Lin Zexu's cognition of the external world had gradually changed with the progress of opium prohibition,but his only constant belief was that the Qing government had the ability and means to defeat the"British barbarians",demonstrating a spirit of struggle that was not afraid of strong enemies and noble national integrity.
Lin ZexuCharles ElliotEmperor Daoguanganti-opiumcognition
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