Former Site of the Opium Destruction Pits in Humen by Lin Zexu

The Former Site of the Opium Destruction Pits in Humen by Lin Zexu is located at the entrance of Zhenkou Village, Humen Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, bordering the Pearl River to the south, Niubei Mountain to the north, and Zhenkou Pass to the west.

In the 1830s, Britain, Portugal, and others armed themselves to smuggle opium into China’s southern frontier. The massive influx of opium harmed the health of our people, drained countless amounts of gold and silver out of the country, and left the nation weak and its people impoverished. Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty accepted Lin Zexu’s anti-opium memorial, specially dispatched him to Guangzhou to handle the matter, forcing foreign opium merchants to surrender over 20,000 chests of opium at Humen, weighing a total of 1,175 tons.

To destroy these harmful substances, two large pits were specially built, each 45 meters long and wide. The bottom of the pits was paved with stone slabs, surrounded by fenced stakes and nailed boards, with a culvert at the side and a drainage channel behind. During the destruction process, water was first stored in the pits, and salt was added to create a concentrated brine. The opium was then poured in batches into the pits and dissolved in the brine. After that, raw lime was added and stirred, triggering an immediate reaction. The mixture boiled, decomposing and eroding the opium. Finally, the resulting waste residue was washed away by river water, leaving no trace. Three weeks later, the opium was completely destroyed. The pit boards, wooden stakes, and other relics from that time (June 3–25, 1839) are now displayed in the Opium War Museum next to the pits.

Next to the destruction pits stands a monument titled "Monument to the Humen People’s Resistance Against the British During the Opium War." The museum uses 141 artifacts, 130 historical photographs, 19 charts, as well as 12 large-scale oil paintings and 3 large dioramas to vividly recreate the dramatic war scenes that shocked the world over 150 years ago.

Ten kilometers from the Humen Opium Destruction Pits lies the Shajiao Fort in Humen, situated at the strategic chokepoint where the Pearl River flows into the Biyao Sea. It connects northward to Huangpu and holds a crucial position, known as the Humen Fortress. There have been forts here since the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty. On the eve of the Opium War, Lin Zexu and Guan Tianpei built and deployed 11 artillery forts along both sides of the Humen estuary, harbors, and straits, installing over 300 cannons. During the First Opium War between China and Britain, the Humen forts repeatedly repelled invading British forces, writing a glorious chapter in modern Chinese history. The Humen Fortress still preserves Shajiao Fort and Weiyuan Fort, which are open for visits and commemoration.

Address: Within the Opium War Museum area, No. 113 Jiefang Road, Humen Town, Dongguan City

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visit Duration: 20–30 minutes

Phone: +86-769-85512065

Official Website: http://www.ypzz.cn/

Opening Hours:

Tuesday–Sunday: 9:00–17:00; Closed on Mondays

Ticket Information:

Free admission

Humen Town: Located on the eastern bank of the Pearl River Estuary, Humen covers an area of 178.5 square kilometers, with 29 community-level residential committees under its jurisdiction. It has a registered population of 124,000 and a permanent population exceeding 500,000. As a key city in southern China, Humen boasts highly developed transportation, accessible by land, sea, and air: By water, the Hongye Container Terminal and the planned Shajiao Hezai Port have been approved as Class I ports by the State Council, offering routes to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and other ports in southern China; by air, Humen lies north of Guangzhou Airport, south of Shenzhen Airport, and west of Zhuhai Airport; by land, it is connected via the Guangshen Expressway, S256 Provincial Highway...  More detailed information about Humen Town++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level