1883 Annual Event: clean leaders in Shanxi province Zhang smoking

This year, foreign-profile Sino-French War presents a trend of expansion and persistence, late Qing bureaucracy within the group leader Zhang clean lines carried out in Shanxi anti-smoking campaign, to some extent obscured by the war out the. The new governor of Shanxi, in the face "almost no county without the" opium cultivation spread across the province, Shanxi, but issued a "ghost country" lament. Tragic a few years ago, "DE surprising shortage" of millions of people starved to death, Shanxi most affected, namely the spread of opium cultivation is one of the main, fully aware of the whole story of Zhang herein, the memorial to the court's worried about , laments: If smoking, another few years, Shanxi had completely finished. Therefore, in April this year, Zhang determined in Shanxi province to launch a vigorous anti-smoking campaign. The importance of this movement does not lie in its effectiveness - because it does not have any effect, as the following year, Zhang was transferred to the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, sport die a natural death - and is: The leader of the famous clean, strong anti-smoking person Soon after, the local opium cultivation has become a firm support of those. "The Times" China correspondent Morrison clearly a glimpse of this strange transformation Zhang: "All are opposed to the Governor in addition to foreign opium Zhang, Zhang, in theory opposed, but in fact not opposed to," Zhang himself is because smoking opium. In particular: his "Encouraging Learning" in eloquently opium and consequences; but in the memorial to the court described in strongly set up tax on the Westernization of the opium irreplaceable importance. Zhang is just a typical example. In order to Westernization and self-promotion at the expense of laissez-faire and even the local opium cultivation and marketing and distribution, and then get rich "opium tax", in fact, has become the consensus of the late Qing government and the public. Almost no one realized: This will definitely put national interests above the interests of the people's livelihood mindset, what would be produced in China since then adverse effects, causing what appalling tragedy in history.

Great victory: a complete victory over local opium opium imports Opium War in 1840 is the scourge of modern Chinese opium standardized description of the beginning. This standard describes the scourge of opium over-emphasized the nature of external aggression, and deliberately weaken or even obscured two important facts: First, as early as 1840, the Chinese mainland market, opium poppy cultivation and opium already forming, Yongzheng Emperor and have repeatedly issued the Edict of Emperor Jiaqing prohibited opium production and distribution; Second, after 1840, the opium scourge of physical and mental health of Chinese people, the vast majority of China's domestic production, imports a very small proportion of opium. Relatively large number of China's domestic production of opium, began in the 1830s. And the influx of foreign opium abusers on the public, the introduction of opium from India so people grow their own. First introduced in Yunnan, and then east all the way north, eventually throughout the country. 1830-1857 years, the Qing government adopted a policy of non-opium, opium cultivation at the cut, therefore, although growing, but the area is not wide. 1858, in order to raise the pay-insurgency, the Qing court to pay taxes on the import of opium, equivalent to legalize opium imports recognized, followed, local opium cultivation ban in name only, the local opium production and a significant increase. Many historical data under this straightforward account of changes - For example, the dynasty, was visiting Kunming, thus described the local poppy cultivation: "The south gate, bypassing the gold Mabi Place chicken, too welcome Grace Church, when the late spring weather, the poppy bloom, full of wild flowers, the present case of purity." At that time Yunnan province, about one-third of the arable land under opium poppy cultivation, opium has become the province's most important agricultural products. Another example is Guizhou, opium poppy cultivation is quite extensive, especially concentrated in the central and eastern Guizhou. Guizhou opium quality excellent, prices were not high, few to compete with foreign goods, come to buy an endless stream. Such as the open state, Wu Chuan and other places, according to local officials, is: "reclaimed land and a half kinds of foreign cigarettes ... ... check the types of tobacco for the recent minli bulk, has long habits, at first Nanjin leather." Sichuan opium poppy cultivation is from behind. 1883, Liu Fuling first pass, on the local scene over and over poppy "numerous aghast", in his diary, "Nameson mind" in this description: "here and Chungju, Fengdu begin with opium poppy for the tasks, gourd pea , vegetables, wheat, to the city he eup, so hard to find vegetable oil through the city, daily is tung oil, poppy oil are also. " It can be said of the 19th century, the sixties and seventies, opium poppy cultivation throughout the country, could not find a large number of poppy-free provinces of cultivation. North to Mongolia, Shaanxi and Gansu west, south Fujian and Guangdong, Shandong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang prosperous east, the provinces a large number of land used to grow opium poppy Jie, many farmers and even become the main industry. Legge was a famous missionary by land travel from Beijing to Zhenjiang, seen along the way, "the land between the Yellow River and Yangtze River are covered with the poppy fields." Domestic expansion of opium poppy cultivation and opium improve the quality, a direct result of foreign imports and smuggling of opium decreasing to the 1880s, has already exceeded the number of domestic opium opium imports. According to statistics, by 1879, the country opium of self-sufficiency rate has reached 80.12%. To 1881, not only to stop all imports of Persian opium, and according to that the British consul in Shanghai, the country's trade report submitted to the said, "In Sichuan, Yunnan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and Guizhou provinces, almost all were driven out of India's opium the market, now is simply no longer transported to the place where the consumption of all the Chinese and domestic supply of opium. " Chinese opium at an alarming rate, just over a year that is 1882, local opium has not only fully satisfy domestic needs, and can be exported. "Foreign opium, not only in West and Southwest, but also in coastal China is gradually giving way to opium, just like West into a large number of Myanmar's opium is the same, east of Taiwan and other islands now have access to some of its opium from the mainland for the product. " China will completely foreign opium opium out of China, appear to have only a matter of time. Nationalism: the late Qing government and support the local opium Quick access to the local opium decisive victory for the import of opium, and to the court on the late Qing high officials down to ordinary intellectual support for local opium cultivation are inextricably linked. It is their support of this attitude, for the local opium cultivation provides a living space - even though, the Qing court never explicitly stated legitimate local opium cultivation. First proposed to the local opium cultivation in order to survive, is not in favor of Lin's strict non-smoking initiatives Shaoqing Hsu Chang Temple is economic. In many seem, after all, could not help but opium, the hand is better to legalize the opium trade, so the government can profit from taxation, but also to develop a series of policy specification opium trade, for example, can only barter and non-officials smoking and so on. Xu is the economic official was later demoted from fourth grade for six ranking government officials, became a "traitor"; he resolutely opposed the smoking ban is because Lin won a national hero of the history tab. Things change, history is full of delight. In 1847, Lin has been transferred to Shaanxi governor's completely changed his "opium view" is anti-economic and Xu became the "illustrious." In reply to the Friends of the humanities in the sea, so Lin said: "Bi Yi Yi Yi planted poppy in the mainland do no harm, hate those who are addicted to the Mainland and not addicted to foreign soil smoke cigarettes." Lin appears at this time, If the local opium "is better than foreign traders", people naturally will be happy to buy their opium smoking, stop buying foreign cigarettes, and so, within a silver circulation only in the country, "such as human a blood poured, what obstacle can that be?" naturally mm no problem, Pa Zhipa, who used to smoke foreign cigarettes were not patriotic, support domestic products can not change his mind - "the first cigarette of the fear of such people who do not eat the inner ear yearned back!" Xu is the economy that year were unanimously reviled both inside and outside government and finally the infamous escape no escape, times have changed, but now it has made a non-smoking camp for Huang Huangran cautious not to speak. Smoking celebrities in the late Qing Xu Jue Zhao Xun to Hunan governor a letter that said: "Jue Shu Chen, please add two years to drug tax foreign soil, but dare not ban those words suddenly, because of the ban is made that the literal-minded Zhongjie map, potential will set the do not ask; still benefit financial statement plus tax, or use the said Ji. "- not easily reduced to smoking celebrities talk about smoking, or that have been ridiculed as the risk of being pedantic, showing the flow of wind to, quite mighty trend. With the local resistance to imported opium opium argument, in the late Qing government and has broad market. Yuan Yuan Baoheng assistant minister's uncle left the Board of Punishments, in the early years of the dynasty that had explicitly threatened to boycott a way to foster the local opium imported opium. He informed the Secretary General of Hart: He will work with others to protect their opium cultivation, until you can stop outsiders input opium, when the country can stop growing opium. This color with a strong nationalist "opium business war" concept, in 1894 by Cheng Kuan-ying out a clear summary extracted, Zheng concept should be considered, "Opium War" is the West "commercial war" in the first policy . Suggested the court "to make broad kinds Yantu relaxation" to the "opium war" - as early as 1862, Cheng Kuan-ying had already started to promote "arrived in foreign soil," recommends people eat their own opium, eat opium imports, and regarded as solid state Weimin way. 1872 founder of the "declaration", is also strongly advocated that the nature of nationalism, "opium traders war." June 28, 1873 published an article entitled "relaxation from the proposed ban on opium Yan Tu," the article strongly urge the Government to relax the ban on native opium control reasons: First, since people eating opium, relax on the native control of the opium ban, the government can tax a second can make tens of millions of taels of silver remain in the country, lest the loss; Second, strengthen the opium production methods improved, follow suit Indian way, to suit the tastes of domestic consumers, government not only a huge tax, farmers can increase their income; Third, by virtue of the sale price of opium increased taxation leaving the poor and the rich decreasing quit smoking, naturally can not help but eventually ban. True for the indigenous opium policy relaxation, is the Zhili Governor and Prime Minister Li Yamen. 1874, Li Yamen for the first time to the Qing court and that "kind of smoke Chi ban" idea, the proposed self-production of opium, in order to resist the import of opium. Although many were not in favor of Tai Chen, Dan Li for their extremely confident this proposal, in his view, the ban on domestic production of opium, but "only for the benefit Tau of the ocean drive, granted claims of the handle interference Xu Li" But foreigners are cheaper, easier Xu Li.

Opium Finance: For the sake of "national wealth" at the expense of "people strong." In the eyes of intellectuals, opium imports over domestic opium is made nationalism a great victory. But most officials within the court's eyes, the purpose of fostering domestic opium, it is in order to obtain reliable and substantial revenue. In the middle of intellectuals, smoking is a politically correct, nationalism is a politically correct, but the latter than the former, so you can sacrifice the former to the latter; the bureaucracy within the system, smoking is also a politically correct , the state also is a political self-correct, the latter than the former, therefore, can also be at the expense of the former to the latter. This became the late Qing Dynasty to the court on, down to the local prefecture flood of opium finances the "theory of root causes." As superficial, central and local levels of government has always claimed that tax is only a means of opium, smoking is the ultimate goal, but "to sign the ban," "prohibitive." But the fact is: smoking nothing but a smokescreen, is the purpose of taxation. In 1877, the British minister in two memorials connected Guo Songtao, request the court presided over smoking, the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi Liu Kun-yi in a private letter, commented on the recommendations of Guo Songtao: "Smoking's assistant minister Guo Yun Sin Yee, Wan could not do, namely Guangdong in terms of the Customs departments of the tax year the PCT received about a million foreign drug and strange, Ju taxes are determined both by the smoking remains of the reason! The large sums of money as aid to Beijing, where co-rates and all the various needs come try Mifeng? ... ... care honestly bluntly, will touch taboo, stay home as proposed, no further information to the court. " Liu Kun-yi said very frankly: Guangdong, not smoking, because of the importance of opium finance is irreplaceable. Guo Songtao's memorial for the treatment, can only be set aside are not discussed, because a discussion, we must involve the issue of smoking in this politically correct, but once the smoking ban would jeopardize the establishment of encouraging local opium poppy cultivation on the basis of financial . Therefore, the "suspension set discussion" is the best approach - because the court had to reach up and down the financial understanding of opium, the so-called suspension, that is, refused to discuss, "no further information to the court." Late Qing celebrities Ho Kai and Hu Li Yuan had a similar statement: "This year China are worried by financial use, and determining tax income to opium for the bulk. Foreign drug imports determining tax 6.002 million, earth medicine determining tax names, although two hundred and twenty ten thousand two, and indeed two thousand million ounces. is earth medicine and Western medicine combined total annual value of two thousand six hundred two hundred million The State of the benefits depends on this, the officials of the swap in this, if the house is no way to remedy this so-smoking act, also in recent years, silent silent. " Republican scholars in Ende the author of "History of Chinese smoking law changes," a book on the late Qing Dynasty opium financial hole if the concept of fire: "covered court was well aware of the annual opium Chi Jin received large sums of money, but also coincided with voluminous Xukuan military moves will ensure that, he decided to relaxation of the ban on openly taxed opium, but the ban on two fundamentally incompatible with the Chi Jin, both Chi Jin's ban is the main policy, must not be side by side, while the 'prohibitive' of the policy, simply double-talk are real also. because once addicted smokers, non-Gou forced to impose the pressure, not easy to quit, although the bankrupt sold his wife vend female, and can not smoke opium. it 'prohibitive' policy was implemented, the results, only to smoking As for those who speed 'home defeat and death of people' of the point of it. condition called 'prohibitive' of the subject, is that 'sign', is not 'ban' a result of such policies hinder the success of the anti as smoking, due to the Government rely for the Li Yuen, and also refused to give up since opium Chi Jin, the majority of people caught in the poison of evil, not only lends strength weakness, the country's potential and weak owing. " According to historical records and related statistics, the Qing Dynasty, the Qing government's fiscal revenue of 100 million over two point Guangxu's total fiscal revenue 150 million at best two, Guangxu 34 years of central government revenue increased to 2.4191 billion over two. The Guangxu of the drug tax foreign soil total of 22,610,478 two determining income, Guangxu 32 years drug tax foreign soil determined the total number of 23,507,550 income two, thirty-three years of Guangxu drug foreign soil for the 20,204,236 total tax revenue determined two. In other words, opium tax revenue in the central government to maintain a minimum ratio of 10% or more - if you take into account the complete control of the central government is only determined the tax levy import opium, opium in the local tax levy has been determined failed to overcome the local government, which in turn occupy the entire opium market dominance of the absolute, then this 10% is obviously a serious shrinking of the. Early 20th century, the Qing court forced internal and external pressures, began smoking. Provinces, then the local financial revenue and expenditure pain appear seriously out of line. For example, in November 1909 Shanxi governor Zoucheng: "money into the province, from offering tax system, determining a drug arrest short silver three hundred thousand, to ban this year, species, the more determined to be received tax free. Growing out of money money transfer by infiltration, loss of 36 years silver has 700,000 loss to the thirty-four years to millions of additional recognized this year and offer funding for the Navy, one hundred and fifty thousand a year promised solution of silver, annual funding for fifty thousand, the province Chamber and the Conference Board funds a total of about one hundred and two thousand, as of year-end bank account deficit to be 1.4 million. "- complained to the central Shanxi Province, but the central and there is no money, because so many years, has been central is also dependent on opium fiscal live.