Study on the Causes of Opium Production in Sichuan during Late Qing Dynasty

It was likely that poppies had been introduced to Sichuan province at first during Tang dynasty,and Sichuan has 24 municipals and counties turning out poppies before Daoguang reign during Qing dynasty.It became the biggest province of opium production,and poppies were planted in most part of,especially east of Sichuan during the late Qing dynasty when there were about more than 3.5 million mu land covered with poppies yielding approximately 120 000 liang opium annually.Because Sichuan enjoyed good natural conditions and bases for poppy cultivation,the Chinese government controlled by the Western colonialists practiced the policies of inhibition through taxation,or forbade opium ineffectively;moreover,the Yangtse waterway improved,and high profits tempted,a lot of farmers took advantage of the opportunities to learn the techniques of planting poppies and processing opium,i.e.to produce toxic drugs.In contemporary opening times,it is intrinsically necessary for people to stay away from toxic drugs in order to construct a fairly well-off and harmonious society.