Opium In The 17th Century Essay

Nothing special about that house except its filthy appearance. Inside of its curtain door, the room has been jammed with beds, on top of each bed, is a person holding a pipe while lying. Their faces are numb; their eyes are glazed, smoke keeps coming out of their mouths and nares. This absurd activity had been the most common scene In China since the 17th century. China originally began the use of opium in 7th for medical purpose, until 17th, the practice of mixing tobacco with opium gained its popularity. Later in 18th, the way of smoking opium sap in a pipe was found, people were simply smoking opium for its narcotic effects. The harm of opium is tremendous. When someone uses it to great excess, the breath becomes feeble, the body wasted, the face shallow,

The Daoguang Emperor himself was an addict, as were most of his court. In 1838, the opium addict in China had grown to between four and twelve million. It was rumored that the viceroy of Canton was also involved in the opium trade himself, Carton located in the west of China, was the biggest port at the time. Along with many other members of imperial court profited from the trade in the form of bribes or as smugglers themselves. The opium trade had thoroughly corrupted the Chinese government as much as it had destroyed its citizens’ health. Lin first wrote a letter to Queen Victoria, he said, China offered its finest goods to British, such as tea, silk, and silver but got nothing but poison in return. He queried the Queen, Opium smoking is strictly forbidden in England because the harm caused by it is clearly understood. He demanded England to stop the exporting and planting of opium right way. Unfortunately, England’s foreign and commonwealth office thought the letter was arrogant and blind pride, turned down his request and refused to write