Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c5.s3.t1.3

v1.c5.s3.t1.3

Opium had been imported to China primarily by Arab and Turkish traders since the 7th and 8th centuries and was used mainly for medicinal purposes. The consumption of opium in China as a narcotic dates from early 18th century CE. In 1729, the Yongzheng emperor issued an imperial edict prohibiting the domestic sale and consumption of opium and later the import of opium was also specifically prohibited. Nevertheless, opium continued to be smuggled into China.