Sunday May 31, 2009
Commemorating hero’s fight against the opium trade
BEIJING EXPRESS
By CELESTE FONG
ALL visitors to Humen Town of Dongguan City in Guangdong Province make a beeline for the Opium War Museum. The locals of this world-famous town of historic significance also call it Lin Zexu Memorial Museum to commemorate the national hero who fought against the opium (or yapian) trade in the south.
Lin’s firm stance on the opium trade and opium smoking is considered the primary catalyst for the First Opium War (1839-1842).
On June 3, 170 years ago, the Qing Dynasty official destroyed more than 20,000 wooden crates and 2,119 bags of opium weighing one million kilogrammes, in two large specially-built pools or pits at the Humen beach, seized from the British and American traders who shipped them to this then small southern coastal village.
Interestingly enough, Humen’s old name is Taiping – a town name we share! In Chinese, taiping means peace.
The name of this Chinese Taiping Town was changed after the Humen Xiaoyan event, to reflect China’s determination and fight against opium to the world.
Xiaoyan means “destroy the opium” because dayan or “big smoke” is the common name for the drug among the locals; and xiao refers to xiaohui, the term for destroy or burn.
The 23-day opium eradication campaign ended on June 25.
And today, the International Anti-Drug Day falls on June 26.
Castle-like museum
Hence, the historical significance of the Opium War Museum. The museum has been made the base for educating the Chinese, especially the young, on patriotism and national pride; it has welcomed more than six million visitors nationwide and worldwide since 1990.
The front gate of the museum is castle-like, with statues of Humen people fighting the foreign invaders just after the entrance.
No one will miss this loud, garish pink clay-coloured larger-than-life-size public art.
Here, we see how rock “turns to life”; a reflection of how the Qing soldiers and people battled the foreign invaders and the heavy bloodshed during their encounters at sea.
Nearby lie the pits, restored based on archaeological evidence in 1972, to preserve and present the world-renowned site where huge quantities of opium were once destroyed there.
It is perhaps completely unsurprising that a bronze statue of Lin Zexu is placed in front of the main building of the museum which covers an area of 2,400 square metres.
Inside the museum, the display is a mix of traditional exhibits with a modern twist. Large scale paintings, a vast collection of historical photos, relics like opium pipe sets, statues and sculptures (like a rake-thin Chinese man with the Qing Dynasty hairstyle), and the use of multimedia bring history vividly before visitors. Complete this visit by touring the various fortresses like Shajiao Fortress and Weiyuan Fortress, and the Sea Battle Museum. Not far from here, a visitor can walk on the seashore and see the Humen Suspension Bridge.
Humen is deemed the cradle of Chinese modern history but it has grown rapidly as a famous textile city too.
In the town centre at the Taiping Square is a giant broken opium pipe sculpture. For some shopping diversion, there are several big malls like the Yellow River Fashion City known for its wide range of goods and wholesale prices. Many Malaysian traders come to this town to scout for good bargains. Humen harbour is also one of the busiest ports in the Pearl River Delta.
Time to feast
After all the walking and touring, it would be time to feast on some good Cantonese food. For a seafood meal, head for Xinwan Village nearby, a fishing village featuring a food street with bamboo scaffolding nearly 100m long. Or check out the popular supper hangout here for jiyu (crucian carp) porridge and fried fish paste cakes at “Shunde Jianji” restaurant off Taishalu Road.
No Chinese city or town is complete without a food street or a famous native delicacy; and no tour or visit is complete without a souvenir or shouxin (gift). What the locals recommend is the Baisha Oil Duck – a wind-dried salt preserved duck which is a special delicacy of over 150 years of history from Baisha Village of Humen Town.
- Teacher held for oral sex on Year Two girl
- Lau sought psychiatrist’s help after death of fan’s dad
- Police shoot dead leader of ‘Berong Gang’
- Australian court sentences Malaysian who posed as taxi driver
- Teoh Beng Hock exhumed for second autopsy (Update)
- Foreign woman falls to death at high-end condo
- Prime Minister comes up with plan to end crisis in MCA
- 15-year-old held for trying to kill mum with acid-laced sarong
- Indonesia seizes 75tons of explosive material from M’sia
- Fresh polls in six to eight months if new mechanism used
- Australian court sentences Malaysian who posed as taxi driver
- Teacher held for oral sex on Year Two girl
- 10 states see increase in number of dengue cases
- AirAsia launches new flights to three Indian cities
- Teoh Beng Hock exhumed for second autopsy (Update)
- Lau sought psychiatrist’s help after death of fan’s dad
- Prime Minister comes up with plan to end crisis in MCA
- Take care of yourself first
- Police shoot dead leader of ‘Berong Gang’
- Our diversity is a blessing, says PM
RSS
