Tracing the transformation of opium from medicine to narcotic over a period of five hundred years, asking who introduced opium to China, how it spread across all sections of society. Accompanied by a fascinating collection of illustrations, this study offers a vivid and alternative perspective on life in China.

This is the first book to consider the social and cultural implications of opium consumption. Collectively, the Chinese people redefined a foreign way of recreation and developed a complex culture of consumption around its use. The book traces this transformation over a period of five hundred years, asking who introduced opium to China and how it spread across all sections of society. Accompanied by a fascinating collection of illustrations, this study will appeal to students and scholars of history, anthropology, sociology, economics, and all those with an interest in China.