In the 30th year of Daoguang (1850), in April, Lin Zexu was appointed as an imperial envoy by the new Xianfeng emperor, and Lin Zexu set out sick. From 1 1 month 12 to 15, Lin Zexu was on his way. Later, he felt unwell, vomiting and diarrhea. 15 and 16 took some medicine, and the vomiting and diarrhea got better. However, he died in Puning County, Chaozhou, Guangdong Province on the evening of 1 1 month 19, due to a long journey day and night. There are several theories about Lin Zexu's death.

One thought it was a normal death, saying that Lin Zexu had serious hemorrhoids. Besides, he is old and in poor health. Tired on the way, suffering from dysentery, died in Puning Pavilion.

Another view is that Lin Zexu was poisoned. When Lin Zexu banned smoking in Guangdong, he attacked people from Guangzhou Thirteen Foreign Companies. They were afraid that Lin Zexu's coming out of the mountain again would be bad for them, so they bribed Lin Zexu's cook, poisoned his food and poisoned him.