Lin Zexu was a Chinese scholar and official during the Qing dynasty. He is most famous for his active fight against opium smuggling in Guangzhou, which is usually considered to be the primary catalyst for the First Opium War 1839-42.  Lin was born in Fuzhou, in the Fujian province. In 1811 he received the Jinshi degree, the highest title in the imperial examinations, and the same year he was appoinyed to the prestigeous Hanlin Academy. He rose rapidly through various grades of provincial service, and became Governor-General of Hunan and Hubei in 1837.