Zheng Yi (also romanised as Cheng Yud or Cheng I ; born Zheng Wenxian, courtesy nameYouyi; 1765 – 16 November 1807)[1] was a powerful Chinese pirate operating from Guangdong and throughout the South China Sea in the late 1700s.
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 and other pirates were recruited as mercenaries by Tây Sơn dynasty up until 1801. 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 brothelmadame 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.
The pirate coalition besieged Macau for several weeks in 1804. In September 1805, a Chinese attack consisting of 80 gunboats in Guangzhou Bay captured or destroyed only 26 pirate vessels. The general who had led the attack subsequently offered pardons to those who surrendered; perhaps 3000 accepted this offer before it was withdrawn in December 1805.[3]
By 1806, virtually every Chinese vessel along the coast paid the pirates for ostensible protection.[3]
Deathedit
Zheng Yi died suddenly in Nguyễn Vietnam on 16 November 1807, sources varied on whether he died in a typhoon, falling overboard in an accident, or if he was killed by 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. The two soon became intimate. Their first success came when they are able to secure the loyalty of Zheng's relatives. Cheung Po Tsai, would act as Ching Shih's second-in-command of the Red Flag Fleet.[4]
^"Cheung Po Tsai and Ching Shih, Pirate Monarchs". 22 February 2016.
November 28, 2023
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In this Chinese name the family name is Zheng 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 Zheng Yi鄭一BornZheng Wenxian 鄭文顯 1765 1765 Xin an County Guangdong Qing ChinaDiedNovember 16 1807 1807 11 16 aged 41 42 Nguyễn VietnamOccupationPirateSpouseChing Shih m 1801 wbr ChildrenZheng Yingshi son Zheng Xiongshi son ParentZheng Lianchang father RelativesZheng San brother Zheng Qi cousin Cheung Po Tsai adopted son Piratical careerNicknameZheng YiOther namesZheng Youyi Zheng YilangTypePirateAllegianceRed Flag FleetYears activeLate 1700s early 1800sRankfleet commanderBase of operationsLeizhou Peninsula South China SeaCommandsRed Flag Fleet 300 ships of 20 000 40 000 pirates Zheng YiChinese nameTraditional Chinese鄭一Simplified Chinese郑一Literal meaningZheng the FirstTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinZheng YiWade GilesCheng IYue CantoneseYale RomanizationJihng YatZheng WenxianTraditional Chinese鄭文顯Simplified Chinese郑文显TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinZheng WenxiǎnYouyi courtesy name Chinese耀一TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinYaoyiZheng YilangTraditional Chinese鄭一郎Simplified Chinese郑一郎Literal meaningZheng s First SonTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinZheng YilangVietnamese nameVietnameseTrịnh Nhất Contents 1 History 2 Death 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editThis section includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this section by introducing more precise citations January 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 and other pirates were recruited as mercenaries by Tay Sơn dynasty up until 1801 In the year of about 1798 Zheng Yi kidnapped Cheung Po simplified Chinese 张保 traditional Chinese 張保 pinyin zhang 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 zheng yi 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 zheng ying shi and Zheng Xiong Shi simplified Chinese 郑雄石 traditional Chinese 鄭雄石 pinyin Zheng xiong shi 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 The pirate coalition besieged Macau for several weeks in 1804 In September 1805 a Chinese attack consisting of 80 gunboats in Guangzhou Bay captured or destroyed only 26 pirate vessels The general who had led the attack subsequently offered pardons to those who surrendered perhaps 3000 accepted this offer before it was withdrawn in December 1805 3 By 1806 virtually every Chinese vessel along the coast paid the pirates for ostensible protection 3 Death editZheng Yi died suddenly in Nguyễn Vietnam on 16 November 1807 sources varied on whether he died in a typhoon falling overboard in an accident or if he was killed by his wife or his new heir Soon after his death his widow Ching Shih simplified Chinese 郑氏 traditional Chinese 鄭氏 pinyin Zheng Shi meaning widow of Zheng acted quickly to solidify the partnership with her step son Cheung Po Tsai The two soon became intimate Their first success came when they are able to secure the loyalty of Zheng s relatives Cheung Po Tsai would act as Ching Shih s second in command of the Red Flag Fleet 4 See also editPirates of the South China Coast Zheng Qi Ching Shih Cheung Po TsaiReferences edit 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 URVIJA BANERJI 6 April 2016 The Chinese Female Pirate Who Commanded 80 000 Outlaws Atlas Obscura Retrieved 2 January 2019 a b Rogozinski Jan 1999 Dictionary of Pirates Ware Hertfordshire Wordsworth Editions Ltd p 71 ISBN 1 85326 384 2 Cheung Po Tsai and Ching Shih Pirate Monarchs 22 February 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zheng Yi pirate amp oldid 1172985543, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
