What is the scene of destroying opium in Humen?

1839 (19th year of Daoguang) On June 3rd, under Humen Village, a ceremonial platform and a Kirin tent rose from the ground. There is a long banner made of yellow silk hanging in front of the ceremonial stage, which reads, "An imperial envoy was ordered to investigate the amphibious camp of the Governor's Office in Haikou, Guangdong." On the beach, two chimneys each with a width of 15 feet stand. Behind them is an opium mountain. Around the time, Lin Zexu, who had a long beard and looked dignified and resolute, boarded the rostrum accompanied by Yi Liang and others and solemnly ordered the sale of cigarettes. Suddenly, the salute rumbled and the sound shook the sea and air. Soldiers next to the tobacco pool put the waterwheel into the pool, added salt to turn the water in the pool into brine, then transported boxes of opium to the pool, opened cigarette cases, chopped and mashed the opium, put it into the pool, soaked it for a while, and then sprinkled with quicklime. In an instant, the brine boiled and the smoke rolled into the sky. The soldiers stirred the opium back and forth with iron hoes and wooden rakes in their hands, so that it melted completely. When the sea ebbed, they opened the culvert of the opium pool and let the opium rush into the sea with the waves. On the culvert, a mesh screen was installed to prevent the unmelted opium from flowing out.

At that time, not only did a large number of China people watch the cigarette sales, but Lin Zexu also sent a special notice to let foreigners visit the scene. Some foreigners wrote down their impressions after watching the cigarette sales. An American missionary named Samuel Wells Williams wrote: Opium is destroyed by the most thorough means ... In the history of the world, a non-Christian monarch would rather destroy things that hurt his subjects than sell him to enrich himself. This is the only one. The handling of all affairs will always be the most outstanding event in human history.