Early Life and Career
Lin was born in Houguan (侯官; modern Fuzhou, Fujian). In 1811, he received a jinshi degree in the imperial examination, and in the same year, he was appointed to the Hanlin Academy. He rose rapidly through various grades of provincial service and became Governor-General of Hunan and Hubei in 1837, where he launched a suppression campaign against the trading of opium.
Read more about this topic: Lin Zexu
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