林则徐

　　LinZexu(Chinese:林则徐;pinyin:LínZéxú)(August30,1785-November22,1850)wasaChinesescholarandofficialduringtheQingdynasty.HeismostfamousforhisactivefightagainstopiumsmugglinginGuangzhou,whichisusuallyconsideredtobetheprimarycatalystfortheFirstOpiumWar1839-42.

　　LinwasborninFuzhou,intheFujianprovince.In1811hereceivedtheJinshidegree,thehighesttitleintheimperialexaminations,andthesameyearhewasappoinyedtotheprestigeousHanlinAcademy.Heroserapidlythroughvariousgradesofprovincialservice,andbecameGovernor-GeneralofHunanandHubeiin1837.

　　Aformidablebureaucratknownforhisthoroughnessandintegrity,LinwassenttoGuangdongtohalttheimportationofopiumbytheBritishpriortotheFirstOpiumWar(1838).Heconfiscatedmorethan20,000chestsofopiumalreadyattheportandsupervisedtheirdestruction.HelaterblockadedtheportfromEuropeanships.LinalsowrotealettertoQueenVictoriaofBritainwarningherthatChinawasadoptingastricterpolicytowardseveryone,Chineseorforeign,whobroughtopiumintoChina.ThisletterexpressedadesirethatVictoriawouldact"inaccordancewithdecentfeeling"andsupporthisefforts.TheletterwashoweverneverdeliveredtothequeenbutwaspublishedinTheTimes[1].OpenhostilitiesbetweenChinaandBritainstartedin1839.

　　Lin'sfailuretosecureadecisivevictoryagainsttheBritishledtohisreplacementbyQishaninSeptember1840.Aspunishmentforhisfailures,hewasdemotedandsenttoexileinIliinXinjiang.However,theChinesegovernmentstillconsideredLintobeanofficialofrarevirtue,andsenthimofftotakecareofdifficultsituations.Hediedin1850whileonthewaytoGuangxi,wherethegovernmentwassendinghimtohelpputdowntheTaipingRebellion.Hewasapatriotofabilitywhoattainedaninternationalreputationas"CommissionerLin."Hewasopposedtotheopeningofthecountry,butfelttheneedofabetterknowledgeofforeigners,whichdrovehimtocollectmuchmaterialforageographyoftheworld.HelatergavethismaterialtoWeiYuan,whopublishedanIllustratedTreatiseontheMaritimeKingdoms(Hǎiguótúzhì海国图志)in1844.

　　June3,thedaywhenLinconfiscatedthecratesofopium,iscelebratedasAnti-SmokingDayintheRepublicofChinainTaiwan.Manhattan'sChathamSquare,inChinatown,containsastatueofLin,commemoratinghisearlystruggleagainstdruguse.