Ching Shih was a powerful female pirate that dominated the China Sea during the early 19th century. This female pirate from China is a rare historical figure because she is one of the few women in history to lead a pirate crew that was the size of a kingdom. According to historical accounts, Ching Shih lead a force of up to 40,000 pirates operated 300 junks( A Chinese sailing ship). Ching Shih was feared, revered, respected and hated by thousands of people who lived in the regions situated along the China Sea.
- No written records exist on Ching Shih’s childhood. While historians have figured out that she was born in the Guangdong province in 1775 they do not have any information about her mother, father or economic condition.
- Ching Shih was working as a sex worker in a brothel inside of a city named Canton. The year was 1801 when Ching was first introduced into the world of piracy. She was going about her daily routine of offering sex for sale when a ruthless pirate named Zheng Yi raided Canton. Shih was captured with other women and she caught the attention of Zheng Yi.
- Zheng Yi apparently liked Ching more so than the other females because he selected her to be his wife.
- Ching Shih’s name was given to her after she married Zheng Yi. No one knows her original name. Apparently, she never told anyone this information. Ching Shih means “widow of Zheng”.
- After the couple were married, Ching Shih participated in Zheng Yi’s activities. She learned about the daily routines and habits of piracy from her husband. She was also exposed to the different situations that usually accompany the life of an outlaw.
- Zheng Yi used his reputation and power to consolidate the pirates in Canton into a formidable alliance. Zheng Yi ruled them and they were known as the Red Flag Fleet.
- In 1807 Zheng Yi died while in Vietnam. Ching Shih did not want to lose any of the power that she had with her husband. After his death she immediately began to set up control over the Red Flag Fleet.
- Ching Shih formed relationships with her rivals to recognize her position as the next ruler of the pirate alliance. She called upon members of Zheng Yi’s family who were powerful pirate lords. Cheng Pao-yand and Cheng Ch’i was Zheng Yi’s nephew and cousin and their influence was necessary for keeping the pirates under control for Ching. Most of the captains who served under Ching and her husband continued to remain loyal to her.
- Ching Shih realized that she needed someone to handle the daily routine of governing the pirates and she chose a man by the name of Chang Pao.
- Chang Pao was Zheng Yi’s adopted son and his sex slave. Apparently, Zheng Yi was a bisexual man and captured young Chang Pao when he was 15 years old. Zheng Yi then adopted him and he became a recognized authority figure among the pirates. None of this mattered to Ching Shih because she ended up marrying Chang Poa because the other pirates respected him as a leader.
- Ching Shih had a son with Chang Pao right before he died. No one knows how Chang Pao lost his life.
- While Chang Pao was alive he issued a set of pirate codes for his large crew to follow. The codes were strictly enforced.
- The codes that were given by Chang Pao required the pirates to strictly follow the orders given by Ching Shih and her superiors. Pirates who made up their own orders or who did not obey Ching Shih were beheaded. The second rule stated that no one could steal from the funds or villages that supported the large pirate fleet. The last code required all treasure taken in raids to be inspected and then placed into the public coffers. The original seizer of the treasure was given 20% of loot that was taken.
- People who did not follow these rules could be beaten, whipped or killed.
- Ching Shih used terror tactics in order to control the China sea. People who opposed her were either badly beaten or killed.
- The British Empire operated in this part of the world at the time and they would often report Ching Shih as a Terror of South China.
- China’s natvies could not defeat Ching Shih. Neither could the British or Portuguese fleets that operated in that region. She was so powerful that they had no choice but to give amnesty to all pirates in Southern China.
- The Qing Dynasty was ruling China during the time of Ching Shih’s reign. A government official named Zhang Bai decided on amnesty but he wanted Ching Shih, Chang Pao and the pirates to bow before the rulers of China. The pirates refused. Ching Shih and Chang Pao found a way to satisfy this requirement by getting the blessing of the government to marry. They had to do this because Chang Pao was still considered Ching Shin’s son before they got married.
- Chang Pao and Ching Shih both retired from piracy after this event took place. Chang Pao and Ching Shih were two very rich individuals and Chang took a government’s position before he suddenly died at the age of 36.
- After Chang Pao’s, Ching Shih opened up a gambling house with her son. She worked this place until she died in 1844 at the age of 69.
- Ching Shih’s life has been romanticized in books, films and video games.
- The History of Piracy by Philip Gosse is the original manuscript that outlines the life of Ching Shih.
- A graphic novel called Afterlife portrays a character based off of Ching Shih as a female warrior that battles demons in the afterlife.
- Mistress Ching in the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is based off of Ching Shih.
- The TV series,Red Flag is based on the life of Ching Shih.
When Ching Shih retired from piracy in 1810 she was never defeated in battle. For close to nine years she dominated the world of piracy in Southern China. This would not have been an easy feat for any person to do. After all she commanded a vast army of pirates and they followed her closely. While China and the western powers had found a way to make her complacent, they could not end her legacy. Her fame and notoriety still lives on in modern times.
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