Zheng Yi (pirate)

Zheng Yi (also romanised as Cheng Yud or Cheng I ; born Zheng Wenxian, courtesy name Youyi; 1765 – 16 November 1807)[1] was a powerful Chinese pirate operating from Guangdong and throughout the South China Sea in the late 1700s.

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Zheng.
Zheng Yi
鄭一
Born
Zheng Wenxian (鄭文顯)

1765 (1765)
Xin'an County, Guangdong, Qing China
DiedNovember 16, 1807(1807-11-16) (aged 41–42)
Nguyễn Vietnam
Occupationpirate
Spouse(s)
(
m. 1801)
Children
  • Zheng Yingshi (son)
  • Zheng Xiongshi (son)
Parent(s)Zheng Lianchang (father)
RelativesZheng San (brother)
Zheng Qi (cousin)
Cheung Po Tsai (adopted son)
Piratical career
NicknameZheng Yi
Other namesZheng Youyi
Zheng Yilang
TypePirate
AllegianceRed Flag Fleet
Years activelate 1700s – early 1800s
Rankfleet commander
Base of operationsLeizhou Peninsula, South China Sea
CommandsRed Flag Fleet (300 ships of 20,000-40,000 pirates)
Zheng Yi
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese鄭一
Simplified Chinese郑一
Literal meaningZheng the First
Zheng Wenxian
Traditional Chinese鄭文顯
Simplified Chinese郑文显
Youyi
(courtesy name)
Chinese耀一
Zheng Yilang
Traditional Chinese鄭一郎
Simplified Chinese郑一郎
Literal meaningZheng's First Son
Vietnamese name
VietnameseTrịnh Nhất

History

He was born Zheng Wenxian in 1765 in Xin'an County, Guangdong, Qing China. His family, including his father Zheng Lianchang and his younger brother Zheng San had been pirates for generations, he was heavily involved in government intrigue and was instrumental in China's interventions during the Tây Sơn dynasty's control of Vietnam. In the year of about 1798, Zheng Yi kidnapped Cheung Po (simplified Chinese: 张保; traditional Chinese: 張保; pinyin: zhāng bǎo), a 15-year-old son of a Tankan fisherman and pressed him into piracy.[2] Cheung Po's natural talent helped him adapt well to his unplanned new career, and he rose swiftly through the ranks.

In 1801, the nefarious intrigues of the 26 year old Cantonese floating brothel madame or prostitute known as Shi Xianggu (Chinese: 石香姑; Jyutping: sek6 hoeng1 gu1), known for her shrewd business savvy and trade in secrets through the pillow talk of her wealthy and political clientele, caught his attention. Either he became infatuated with her or purely as a business move, Zheng Yi made a proposal of marriage to Shi Xianggu to consolidate the powers of intrigue, as it were, which she is said to have agreed to by formal contract granting her a 50% control and share. Shi Xianggu was known as "Zheng Yi Sao" (simplified Chinese: 郑一嫂; traditional Chinese: 鄭一嫂; pinyin: zhèng yī sǎo; lit.: 'wife of Zheng Yi'. They adopted Cheung Po as their step-son, making him Zheng's legal heir. She also bore him two sons; Zheng Ying Shi (simplified Chinese: 郑英石; traditional Chinese: 鄭英石; pinyin: zhèng yīng shí) and Zheng Xiong Shi (simplified Chinese: 郑雄石; traditional Chinese: 鄭雄石; pinyin: Zhèng xióng shí).

Zheng Yi used military assertion and his reputation to consolidate a coalition of competing Cantonese pirate fleets of uncertain numbers into an alliance. By 1804, this coalition was a formidable force, and one of the most powerful pirate fleets in all of China, they were known as the Red Flag Fleet.

Death

Zheng Yi died suddenly in Nguyễn Vietnam in 16 November 1807, sources varied as he died in a typhoon or in an accident, falling overboard and some even pointed at his wife, or his new heir. Soon after his death, his widow Ching Shih (simplified Chinese: 郑氏; traditional Chinese: 鄭氏; pinyin: Zhèng Shì; meaning "widow of Zheng") acted quickly to solidify the partnership with her step-son Cheung Po Tsai which soon became intimate. Their first success came when they are able to secure the loyalty of Zheng's relatives, they became lovers within weeks. Cheung Po Tsai, would act as Ching Shih's second-in-command of the Red Flag Fleet.[3]

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See also

References
  1. Dian H. Murray 1987, p.64.:Murray, Dian H. (1987). Pirates of the South China Coast, 1790-1810. Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-1376-6.
  2. URVIJA BANERJI (6 April 2016). "The Chinese Female Pirate Who Commanded 80,000 Outlaws". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  3. https://www.headstuff.org/history/ching-shih-and-cheung-po-tsai-pirate-monarchs/
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