A woman, Ching Shih, was at the forefront of the armada that held the most famous naval fleets of the 19th century in hand. She dictated the terms until the very end ...
The word pirate is associated with the warm waters surrounding the Caribbean Islands, rum and the black flag with skull and bones. However, the pantheon of sea robbers is a collection of adventurers from all over the world. And some of the most effective ones can be found in the waters of the South China Sea. A woman, Ching Shih, was at the helm of the armada that held the most famous naval fleets of the 19th century in hand. She dictated the terms to the very end…
A prostitute turned pirate
The youth of the future pirate queen is shrouded in mystery. She was probably born into a poor family of farmers or fishermen around 1775 in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. She ended up in a brothel as a teenager in the capital of the Guangzhou region. It is not known whether she was found there willingly or was sold by the family . With her extraordinary beauty she caught the attention of one of the most famous pirates at the time, Zheng Yi . The man wanted her so badly that in 1801 he decided to kidnap her. Ching, however, captivated him not only with her appearance, but also with charisma and intellect.
The pantheon of sea robbers is a collection of adventurers from around the world. And some of the most effective ones can be found in the waters of the South China Sea.
After a short time, the couple got married, the condition of which was equality between the partners and the introduction of the girl into the pirate world. Thus began the time of their joint rule in the South China Sea.
A strong marriage
Zheng Yi and his young wife were not idle. They built an empire in no time. They weren't ordinary pirates. They had a well-armed military armada. It frightened both their competitors and the Chinese and international fleet. And most importantly - they did it together.
A year after their wedding, they managed to unite the southern pirates into a confederation of 6 fleets . Their names were derived from the colors of the flags: red, black, blue, white, green and purple . It was a powerful organization. In 1804, it operated in an almost perfect order, according to a specific code of laws and principles. Its strongest part was the Red Flag Fleet, led by Zheng Yi and Ching Shih . The couple headed the entire confederation. And this one had about 400 ships and from 40,000 to even 60,000 pirates .
Ching Shih took an active part in making strategic decisions
Ching Shih took an active part in making strategic decisions. Her attitude was open to everyone. She wanted to rule on an equal footing with her husband, sharing both rewards and risks with him . In this way, it built a strong image for itself and gained many allies. She herself made sure that the command of each fleet was in the hands of trusted people. Despite their freedoms, they were loyal to the commanders of the Red Flag Fleet.
Widow with the rules
In 1807, during an expedition off the coast of Vietnam, Zheng Yi fell overboard and was killed. After his death, the thirty-something widow did not follow the tradition. She should go into the shadows to live a quiet and peaceful life until the end of her days. Ching Shih did… exactly the opposite.
She took control of a pirate power with her lockpick. She seduced her husband's heir and their adopted son at the same time. (Later she even married him). Then she introduced a law that punished any disobedience to the leader in an extremely bloody way. Breaking the rules could result in immediate death by beheading, flogging or cutting off members of the body. She was equally ruthless in punishing the rapes of women captured by her and marital infidelity between pirates and their captives. She also condemned the mistreatment of her allies. It doesn't matter if they were friendly villagers and fishermen, or people of higher standing.
Punishments for rape and the abuse of female slaves were not for the goodness of Ching's heart. She simply treated women as commodities. She wanted to earn good money from them by selling them to brothels. This is why they were given inviolability. Breaking it was punishable by death. Well, unless fate caused unfruitful virgins to fall into pirate hands. These were just let go.
Monopoly on violence
With a policy based on intrigue, paying allies and dragging foreign units to her side, Ching Shih quickly conquered the waters of the South China Sea. Won the title of queen of the pirates . Her fleet became invincible. It repelled not only attacks from the empire, but also ships of the Portuguese Navy and the British East India Company.
photo:Ambroise Louis Garneray / public domain Ching Shih quickly conquered the waters of the South China Sea. She won the title of the queen of pirates
Ching Shih personally managed 24 ships and over 1,400 men . And the entire pirate fleet was well equipped with cannons and ammunition. The pirate queen and her company kept the local sailors and merchants awake at night.
Ship robbery and Ching Shih's "monopoly on violence" cleverly turned into another business opportunity. In Macau and Guangzhou, she opened two points where you could buy documents ensuring inviolability and protection from her company . It was a steady income for the maintenance, feeding and reinforcement of the fleet. By the way, Ching secured the support of the coastal population, whom she paid for help with work and supplies.
Pirate Retirement
She ended her career at sea when the authorities, seeing no other solution, agreed to an amnesty (on its terms) for pirates ready to say goodbye to their adventurous life. On land, she lived comfortably as the wife of a high-ranking Imperial sailor. (This nomination was given to her second husband.) She spent the next decade of her life on a state pot, raising two children.
In 1822 she became a widow again. During this time she managed to accumulate a considerable amount, which she invested in ... a casino. Thus, she ensured herself a prosperous and stable autumn of life. She died at the age of 69. However, its legend lives on to this day, not only in Asian but also world culture. Her character appeared, among others in the popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" series.
Bibliography
- Murray, Cheng I Sao in Fact and Fiction , New York University Press, 2001.
- Murray, Pirates of the South China Coast, 1790-1810 . Stanford University Press, 1987.
- Ching Shih - The Chinese History-Made Female Pirate , history.cultural-china.com (accessed:22/03/2022).
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acojc6aZjgE (accessed:22/03/2022).
- The amazing story of Ching Shih - from a prostitute she became a pirate queen , onet.pl, 11/08/2018 (accessed:22/03/2022).