The Social Life of Opium in China

by Zheng Yangwen

Book Overview

In a remarkable and broad-ranging narrative, Yangwen Zheng's book explores the history of opium consumption in China from 1483 to the late twentieth century. The story begins in the mid-Ming dynasty, when opium was sent as a gift by vassal states and used as an aphrodisiac in court. Over time, the Chinese people from different classes and regions began to use it for recreational purposes, so beginning a complex culture of opium consumption. The book...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521608562
• ISBN13: 9780521608565
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.9" x 9.0"