A drug rehabilitation center under the public security bureau of Hengyang, Hunan province, was opened in May 2002. The center treats more than 700 drug users every year. [Photo/CFP]

A drug rehabilitation center under the public security bureau of Hengyang, Hunan province, requires residents to recite the Chinese classic Di Zi Gui to help them quit drugs.

The text, written by Li Yuxiu, a famous scholar and educator during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), aims to teach people how to become moral human beings.

The addicts, called "students" at the center, are asked to recite the text every morning and evening before meals. They are also required to hand in a learning report every week. Good reports are posted on a display board or printed out as a collection.

The rehabilitation center's research indicates that drug addiction is mainly due to a user's lack of education, support and life goals. Therefore, it tries to dispel the "spiritual addiction" of its students by teaching them traditional culture and moral principles.

The center's evaluation shows the relapse rate of its students has decreased noticeably. Only 48 percent of students returned to the center in 2013, a drop of 47 percent from 2011.