Zheng Qi | |
|---|---|
鄭七 | |
| Born | Zheng Yaohuang (鄭耀煌) 1760 (1760) |
| Died | 1802 (aged 41–42) |
| Cause of death | execution |
| Spouse | unknown |
| Children | Zheng Baoyang (son) Zheng Weifeng (son) |
| Parent(s) | Zheng Lianfu (father) Lin Xiu (mother) |
| Relatives | Zheng Yaori (brother) Zheng Yaoyue (brother) Zheng Yaoxing (brother) Zheng Yaoming (brother) Zheng Yaohuang (brother) Zheng Yaozhen (brother) Zheng Yi (cousin) Ching Shih (cousin-in-law) Zhang Lianke (nephew) He Song (adopted son) |
| Piratical career | |
| Nickname | Zheng Qi |
| Type | Pirate |
| Allegiance | Pirates of the South China Coast |
| Years active | late 1700s |
| Rank | fleet commander |
| Base of operations | Guangdong,South China Sea |
| Zheng Qi | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 鄭七 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 郑七 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | Zheng the Seventh | ||||||||
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| Zheng Yaohuang | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 鄭耀煌 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 郑耀煌 | ||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||
| Vietnamese | Trịnh Thất | ||||||||
Zheng Qi (also spelledChing Tsih orCheng Chi; bornZheng Yaohuang; 1760 – September 1802)[1] was a powerful Chinesepirate operating from Canton (Guangdong) and throughout theSouth China Sea in the late 1700s.
He was born Zheng Yaohuang inXin'an County,Guangdong,Qing China (modernShenzhen andHong Kong), in 1760. He was the seventh son of his pirate father Zheng Lianfu (鄭連福) and his wife Lin Xiu (林秀), hence the nickname Zheng Qi.
Zheng Qi was recruited by theTay Son dynasty in 1788, and later became one of the most important subordinates underChen Tianbao. From 1788 to 1799, Zheng frequently attacked the southern coast ofQing China together withMo Guanfu,Liang Wengeng (梁文庚) andFan Wencai (樊文才). The Qing navy feared them.
In 1795, Zheng Qi abducted a 12-year-old boy named He Song (何送) and raised him as his adopted son. A few years later, Zheng Qi gave him a captive female as his bride and seven hundred pieces of silver (liang) to set up store for the pirate trade. He would later bestow three ships under He Song's command.
Tay Son army was defeated by his rival theNguyen lord in 1801, and his three comrades Mo Guanfu, Liang Wengeng and Fan Wencai were captured. Zheng Qi returned to his base inQuảng Ninh and did not want to get involved in the civil war. However, he was later persuaded by Chen Tianbao, heading his troops toThăng Long (modernHanoi) to aid the king.[clarification needed] He was appointed as the Grand Marshal (Vietnamese:Đại Tư Mã,chữ Hán: 大司馬) by the Tay Son emperorNguyễn Quang Toản.
Zheng Qi got involved in the siege ofĐồng Hới, and his fleet was defeated in the mouth ofNhật Lệ River by the Nguyễn generalNguyễn Văn Trương, he had to flee back to his base area. In September 1802, he was captured and executed by theNguyen dynasty.
His cousinZheng Yi then took over.[2]
