I’m merely suggesting that I spent many happy hours typing “Chinese Pirate Queen” into my search engine). Once again, this column is brought to you by Google (unofficially – I’m not suggesting they are a corporate sponsor. No release date or network yet, but fingers crossed! According to The Mary Sue, Maggie Q is set to star in a new series, Red Flag, based on Ching Shih’s life. One of his first acts? Using the government forces to destroy their old pirate rivals.Ĭhing Shih died in 1844, presumably while lying comfortably atop of a large pile of money. The government gave over a big chunk of cash, cancelled all warrants for her, and made Chang Palo lieutenant in the Chinese navy. Instead of merely negotiating amnesty by informing on her shipmates, she spent months bargaining with the government. The Chinese government became so desperate to get rid of her that they came to terms. But in Ching Shih’s case, everything turned out just fine. This is especially true when the people are women. Ching Shih in action, artist unknown, 1835Ī lot of stories about ambitious people end with the ambitious ones being punished in some way. The British and Portuguese navies wouldn’t go near her. The pirates were allowed to take wives from among the captives but they could be punished by death if they were violent or unfaithful or failed to provide for their wives.Ĭhing Shih’s fleet ruled the coastal villages. Rape was punishable by death and many female captives were released. The rules called for obedience to Ching Shih alone, and for any loot to be turned in and then distributed by the fleet leader (whoever captured the loot got to keep an additional twenty present of it). Suck it, heteronormative patriarchy!Ĭhing Shih implemented a strict list of rules. If this theory is true, then for a significant period of time the most powerful pirate fleet the world has ever known was run by a woman and a man who was either gay or bisexual. It appears to be a pretty common historical practice. This idea isn’t far-fetched: this article in The Advocate talks about gay couples in the modern day United States in which one adopted the other when gay marriage wasn’t legal. Cheng I could not marry him, so he adopted him instead, which gave Cheung Po Tsai certain official status and protection in case of Cheng I’s death. Still from the 2003 movie, Singing Behind ScreensĪnother story, from History of Piracy, says that Cheung Po Tsai was Cheng I’s lover.
The most straightforward story about Cheung Po Tsai, and the one most frequently told, is that Cheung Po Tsai was kidnapped as a teen by Cheng I and Ching Shih, who subsequently adopted him. She entered into a marriage of convenience with her adopted son, Cheung Po Tsai, who was also the second in command (behind Cheng I and Ching Shih, who operated as a unit). It was known as the Red Flag Fleet.Ĭhing Shih decided that she needed a new ally. At the time of his death, the couple had a pirate fleet of anywhere from 400 – 1200 ships and 70,000 – 80,000 pirates. Ching Shih and Cheng I were unstoppable partners who led a large fleet of ships until Cheng I died in 1807. During this time, the Tay Son group basically outsourced their navy, hiring Chinese pirates to attack and loot other Chinese ships. It lasted from approximately 1771 – 1802. The Tay Son Rebellion was a rebellion between Vietnam and China. Cheng I was an immensely powerful pirate, though it’s probably more accurate to call him a privateer, since he was involved in political intrigues and played a significant role in the Tay Son Rebellion. She was a prostitute who was captured by pirates and promptly married one of them, Cheng I. Her real name is unknown (Ching Shih means ‘Widow of Cheng’). I stuck with ‘Ching Shih’ because it seems to be the most common spelling on the Internet, and I want to increase your luck at your own Googling.Ĭhing Shih was born in 1775. However, other sites used other spellings (for instance, ‘Zheng Shi’ and ‘Jihng Sih’ are both listed as alternates for ‘Ching Shih’ in Wikipedia). She was a badass, and while of course her story is embellished through legend, the basic facts of her story are absolutely true.Ī note about names: Most of the articles I read used the following spellings: ‘Ching Shih’ for our heroine, ‘Cheng I’, for her first husband, and ‘Cheung Po Tsai’ for her second husband. She ruled the seas with an iron hand and retired so she could spend her golden years perched on big bags of money. If there’s anything I love about the Internet, it’s the assurance that I won’t be disappointed if I Google “Chinese Pirate Queen.” This month’s Kickass Women is Ching Shih, also known as Madame Ching, also known as Cheng I Sao.