Humble origins
Zheng Yi Sao was born Shi Yang in Guangdong, China in 1775. There she started her life as a Tanka, one of the traditional boat people of Southern China. Eventually, Shi Yang worked as a prostitute and brothel keeper for a Tanka brothel frequented by the pirates of the South China Sea. After some time she developed a relationship with Zheng Yi, an infamous pirate of the region. This continued until 1801 when Shi Yang and Zheng Yi were married and she took the honorific name “Zheng Yi Sao”, translating into “Wife of Zheng Yi”.
Wife of the Pirate King
Alongside her husband, Zheng Yi Sao organised and consolidated the disparate pirate fleets of the region. This started in 1802 with the acquisition of another pirate fleet that was formerly under the control of Zheng Yi's cousin, Zheng Qi. Further agreements and acquisitions culminated in 1805 with the confederation of six pirate fleets under one leadership, with Zheng Yi at the helm and Zheng Yi Sao at his side. The fleets, organised under coloured banners (red, black, blue, white, yellow, and purple), raided and harassed the Chinese coast and posed trouble for the ruling Qing dynasty. The Qing navy was poorly equipped and found tackling the organised pirate menace to be challenging. Zheng Yi Sao managed the financial matters of the confederation while tending to her husband and having two sons with him.
Tragedy and Opportunity
In 1807 during a fierce storm, Zheng Yi was thrown overboard his ship and was killed. After a brief time of turmoil, Zheng Yi Sao used her position as manager of the confederation's finances to assume informal command over the fleets and renew the alliances with the other captains. One of the captains she united with was Zhang Bao, the heir to Zheng Yi's Red fleet and her adoptive son. This alliance with Zhang Bao eventually grew into a more intimate relationship. Her swift move to consolidate power ensured the confederation remained united and continued as it had before the loss of Zheng Yi.
Leader and Commander
Under Zheng Yi Sao's leadership the pirate confederation expanded their activities against the Qing navy. In one engagement near Mazhou Island, 35 Qing ships were destroyed by the pirate. This loss, plus another defeat to the pirates a month later, halved the Qing's fleet and left their defence of the Pearl River weak. Zheng Yi Sao's pirates were soon able to extend their operations into the lucrative Pearl River.
Despite some setbacks in 1809, when the White fleet suffered the loss of their captain and a number of their ships, the confederation continued to prosper under Zheng Yi Sao. She organised the fleets to retaliate with massive raids against large port cities on the coast and up the Pearl River. This six week campaign ravaged the region, with deaths totalling approximately 10,000 people. After multiple setbacks and failures, the Qing Navy was desperate and began looking outwards for help.
Battle of the Tiger's Mouth
The Portuguese navy, stationed in Macau, was approached by the Qing for assistance against Zheng Yi Sao's pirate confederation. The Portuguese, who had also suffered at the hand of Zheng Yi Sao, were eager to put down the raiders who harassed their trading vessels. In early November 1809, Zheng Yi Sao was anchored at Tung Chung Bay for repairs. The Portuguese took this opportunity to blockade her in the bay, using their modern sail ships to keep her in place alongside the Red Fleet. To bolster the Portuguese, the Qing navy supplied 93 ships to the blockade.
Several attempts to run the blockade were thwarted by poor wind conditions. In this time, more Portuguese ships joined and the blockade stalled out. Frustrated by the lack of progress against the pirates, a Qing Naval commander converted some of his ships into fireships in an attempt to flush out the pirates. Zheng Yi Sao's pirates deftly diverted the fireships out of harm's way and waited for the wind to change. Once it had, they released the captured fireships and launched them back at the blockade. This caused panic as the fireships ignited several of the blockades ships and scattered the others. Zheng Yi Sao took the opportunity and slipped her fleet out through the chaos, losing no ships as they escaped.
Bringing the Qing to the Table
Following the embarrassment of losing the pirates at the Tiger's Mouth, the Qinq requested further aid from both the Portuguese and the British Empire. These reinforcements along with a change in Qing Naval leadership meant the incredible success of the pirate confederation began to turn. In 1810, Zheng Yi Sao saw the writing on the wall and called for negotiations. With the Portuguese as mediators, the Qing and Zheng Yi Sao began to negotiate a deal.
After several back and forth exchanges, along with multiple threats of intense raids against the nearby cities if her demands weren't taken seriously, an agreement was reached. Zheng Yi Sao and her confederation would “surrender” to the Qing, turning over their ships, cannons, and weapons. In exchange, all pirates were formally pardoned by the emperor and gifted a sum of money, food, and wine. Zheng Yi Sao and Zhang Bao were allowed to marry and granted personal fleets that would remain under their command, with Zhang Bao receiving a position in the Qing Navy as an officer. Zheng Yi Sao's wealth and plunder she had acquired in her time as Pirate Queen was not returned, and remained hers after the negotiations.
Comfortable Twilight Years
Following the surrender of her fleet to the Qing, Zheng Yi Sao lived with her second husband Zhang Bao. They stayed together until his death in 1822, following an illustrious career in the Qing navy acting as one of its best for countering piracy in the region. After this Zheng Yi Sao settled somewhere near Guangdong, living a relatively peaceful life. From there she ran a lucrative gambling house that saw her through comfortably until her death in 1844.