Lin Zexu

Lin Zexu
An 1850 drawing of Lin
Viceroy of Liangguang
In office 21 January 1840 – 3 October 1840
Preceded by	Deng Tingzhen
Succeeded by	Qishan
Viceroy of Shaan-Gan
In office 1845 (acting)
Preceded by	Buyantai
Succeeded by	Yang Yizeng (acting)
Viceroy of Yun-Gui
In office 30 April 1847 – 10 September 1849
Preceded by	Li Xingyuan (Li Hsing-yüan)[1]
Succeeded by	Cheng Yuzai (Ch'eng Yü-tsai)[1]
Viceroy of Huguang
In office February 1837 – December 1838
Preceded by	Nergingge
Succeeded by	Zhou Tianjue
Personal details
Born	(1785-08-30)30 August 1785 Houguan County, Fujian, Qing Empire
Died	22 November 1850(1850-11-22) (aged 65) Puning County, Guangdong, Qing Empire
Education	Jinshi 進士 degree
Occupation	Philosopher, politician
Military service
Battles/wars	First Opium War

Lin Zexu (30 August 1785 – 22 November 1850), courtesy name Yuanfu, was a Chinese political philosopher and politician. He was a head of state (Viceroy), Governor General, scholar-official, and under the Daoguang Emperor of the Qing dynasty best known for his role in the First Opium War of 1839–42. He was from Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Lin's forceful opposition to the opium trade was a primary catalyst for the First Opium War. He is praised for his constant position on the "moral high ground" in his fight, but he is also blamed for a rigid approach which failed to account for the domestic and international complexities of the problem.^[2] The Emperor endorsed the hardline policies and anti-drugs movement advocated by Lin, but placed all responsibility for the resulting disastrous Opium War onto Lin.^[3]