晚清四川鸦片生产及其动因探析

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

四川引种罂粟,可能始于唐代。清道光以前,该省有24厅州县出产此物。晚清时期,四川成为全国最大的鸦片生产省,绝大多数地区皆种有罂粟,而川东一带特盛。清末,全省约有350多万亩土地被罂粟所侵,年均鸦片约12万两。究其动恩,是因为:四川具备种植罂粟的适宜自然条件和固有基础;中国政府受到西方殖民者的控制,实行寓禁于征的政策,或禁而不力;加以长江航道改善,高额利润诱惑。于是很多农民趁机习得罂粟种植、鸦片加工技术,从事毒品生产活动。当今开放时代,欲建设小康和谐社会,固亦须远离毒品之害。

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 tenapted, 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 contenaporary 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.