The Interesting Story Of The Chinese Pirate Queen
Born around 1775, Ching Shih — also known as Shi Yang or Zheng Yi Sao — grew up in the coastal Guangdong province of southeastern China. In her young adulthood, she allegedly became a sex worker on a floating brothel — and then she married a pirate.
Her new husband, Zheng Yi, was a privateer for a Vietnamese dynasty, and Ching Shih soon joined in his adventures. Six years into their marriage, however, Zheng Yi fell overboard during a storm and perished.
Public DomainA 19th-century illustration of pirate queen Ching Shih wielding a sword.
So, Ching Shih took over her late husband’s fleet alongside his adopted son, Zhang Bao — whom she ultimately married. At the peak of her career on the high seas, the pirate queen informally commanded hundreds of ships and as many as 70,000 other raiders as the leader of the Guangdong Pirate Confederation. She engaged in conflict with vessels from Britain, Portugal, and China’s Qing dynasty.
In 1810, she and Zhang Bao surrendered to Qing authorities, but they were permitted to maintain control over 24 ships and 1,400 pirates. Ching Shih eventually retired to civilian life, bringing with her the vast wealth she’d acquired from her years of piracy — as well as one of history’s most interesting stories.
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