346  THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE
and  the  production  of  opium  in  the  province  to-day  probably
does  not  exceed  500  piculs.
Fukien  :  opium  is  produced  chiefly  in  the  Tungan  district, ­
  of  which  the  output  was  estimated  in  1863  at  5°°
piculs,  and  in  1879  at  1,000  piculs.  The  lowest  estimate
for  the  whole  province  to-day  is  2,000  piculs.
Chekiang  produces  a  considerable  quantity,  especially
in  the  Wenchow  and  Chuchow  prefectures,  the  production
being  estimated  at  10,000  to  16,000  piculs  in  1879,  and  at
4,500  piculs  in  1887.  It  will  be  safe  to  put  the  output
to-day  at  5,000  piculs.
Kiangsu,  in  1879,  was  estimated  to  produce  2,500  piculs
of  opium.  There  has  recently  been  increased  production
in  the  Hsuchow  prefecture  in  the  north-western  corner  oi
the  province,  and  the  output  of  Kiangsu  to-day  cannot  be
less  than  5,000  piculs.
Shantung  imported  3,536  piculs  of  foreign  opium  in  1879  »
in  1888  this  had  fallen  to  318  piculs,  which  is  now  the  average
amount.  In  1887  it  was  estimated  that  the  annual  consumption ­
  of  native  opium  was  8,000  piculs,  mostly  Shantung
product.  The  production  of  the  province  to-day  must  be
at  least  10,000  piculs.
Chihli  imported  7,898  piculs  of  foreign  opium  in  1867»
and  5,181  piculs  in  1879  ;  in  1905  this  fell  to  225  piculs-Native
  opium  was  reported  as  coming  from  Shansi  in  1^63
in  considerable  quantities  ;  in  1879  the  production  0
Chihli  was  estimated  at  3,000  piculs,  and  in  1887  it  ' vaS
reported  to  be  “  very  large.”  Within  forty  years  7&gt;5° 0
piculs  of  foreign  opium  have  been  entirely  displaced  by  nati^j
opium,  and,  allowing  for  increase  in  the  population  an
extension  of  the  habit,  the  consumption  of  the  latter  is  n 0 ^
from  15,000  to  20,000  piculs.  Some  comes  from  Manchuf#
and  some  from  Shansi,  and  the  production  of  Chihli  15
probably  10,000,  and  certainly  5,000  piculs.  ,
Manchuria  has  probably  taken  up  the  production  0
opium  within  fifty  years  past.  Foreign  opium  was  impose
to  the  extent  of  2,585  piculs  in  1867,  and  2,453  piculs  111
1879  ;  in  1888  the  import  was  113  piculs,  and  in  1905  waS