It is believed that opium smoking became popular after the Ming court banned tobacco in 1641. Opium smoking later spread beyond China and became ingrained in India and Southeast Asia. Refined opium was known as ‘chandu’. Large opium dens offered supplementary services such as Chinese tea. Large teahouses also had opium dens so that tea drinkers could smoke while socialising. Sexual amusement and opium became closely associated as brothels offered opium-smoking services to their clients.
