What actions did Lin Zexu take against opium smugglers in Guangzhou?

Appointed as imperial commissioner in 1838, Lin Zexu arrived in Guangzhou in March 1839 with a mandate to eradicate the opium trade. His actions were characterized by a firm, aggressive approach to both foreign merchants and corrupt local officials.12

Key measures taken by Lin included:

• Summoning Merchants: He peremptorily summoned foreign merchants and officials to demand compliance with Chinese law.2
• Confiscation and Destruction: He forced foreign traders to surrender their stocks of opium, ultimately confiscating and destroying more than 20,000 chests of the drug.12
• Demanding Guarantees: He pressured merchants to sign bonds guaranteeing that they would cease the importation of opium, under threat of severe penalties.2
• Diplomatic Appeals: He famously wrote a letter to Queen Victoria, appealing to her moral conscience by asking if she would permit such a poisonous substance in her own country and requesting that she forbid her subjects from bringing it into China.2

While Lin successfully disrupted the trade, his uncompromising stance and failure to grasp the geopolitical implications of British free trade demands contributed to the tensions that led to the Opium Wars.12