In 1839, Lin Zexu wrote The Letter to Queen Victoria, in an attempt to stop the evolution of opium addiction in China. The letter expressed China's desire for a peaceful solution to the opium trade. He takes the limited and entirely incorrect knowledge he had on the matter in hopes of gaining a sympathetic understanding. Lin used Confucian teachings, historical events, and forceful reasoning on moral grounds to persuade the English monarch that he would not ask them anything that he would not feel comfortable doing himself. The letter constituted an ultimatum addressed by Commissioner Lin on behalf of the Qing Emperor to the English monarch, conveying the clear message that he and the Qing government were determined to ban the selling and smoking of opium once and for all at any cost. 3-5 of the letter, Lin addresses the issue that initially led him to contact the ruler of Great Britain; the smuggling and sale of opium into China through British merchants. The selling and smoking of opium caused great harm to the Chinese people in the eyes of the Chinese emperor, so Commissioner Lin Zexu was sent to put an end to this practice. He explains the punishment for Chinese people who smoke and sell opium and notes that the emperor will extend the same punishment to British merchants who continue to sell this drug to the Chinese people. Lin manages to confiscate a large quantity of opium with the help of the British superintendent of trade, Charles Elliot. With Charles Elliot teaming up with Lin Zexu, it serves as a warning because the Qing Dynasty had created new regulations; for if a Briton were found selling opium, he would receive the same punishment as a Chinese. To make them, he needed the help of... middle of paper... the kindness of his emperor. Lin then salutes his ruler's extraordinary celestial grace. This pardon could be seen as the emperor was reluctant to initiate confrontation with the British forces. In other words, although the emperor ordered Commissioner Lin Zexu to put an end to opium sales in Guangzhou and Guangdong, he was afraid of starting a war with the British. Lin's effort to resolve the opium problem peacefully was highly favored and sanctioned by the emperor. Although the First Opium War proves that this letter was unsuccessful, this letter has significance because, unlike most countries and disputes, the Chinese did everything they could to ensure that this issue had a peaceful resolution. This letter shows that China's practice of Confucianism helped them evolve from an already self-sufficient country into a country favored and sanctioned for their reasonable ways..