Cai Qian
Encyclopedia
Cai Qian ' onMouseout='HidePop("35594")' href="/topics/Pinyin">pinyin
:Cài Qiān) was a Chinese
sea merchant, considered by some a pirate during the Qing Dynasty
era.
, Fujian
Province, China. Facing starvation, he became a pirate in 1794. At the height of his power, he commanded along Cheung Po Tsai
hundreds of ships and thousands of pirates: he was Tsai's mate. They predated others on the seas of Fujian, Guangdong
and Taiwan Strait
. They came to be considered as a major threat to Chinese political stability. Because the British
businessmen sold English guns to Tsai, Qianlong Emperor
became angry with the British. Qianlong Emperor blamed George Macartney
over this issue, a fact which led to Chinese hostility towards the United Kingdom during the Chinese Rites controversy
. In 1799, Cai married a weapons expert who spoke English: her expertise proved beneficial for their accumulation of wealth. Some diaries said her name is Lin Yuyau (林玉腰) and she had lived in Fangyuan, Changhua
in Taiwan. In 1802, Cai occupied Xiamen
's guns bases.
In 1804 and 1805 Cai and Tsai twice attacked Taiwan's provincial capital of Tainan
but was defeated. In the battle of 1804, Tsai defeated the Qing fleet from Wenzhou
. Within the next four years he fought many battles against Tasi and Cai voweing to destroy their fleets. In January 1808, Fujian and Zhejiang admirals nearly destroyed their fleet near Hong Kong
, through a battle which lasted one day and one night. They succeeded in defeating their enemies, which made Qing's navy beginning fearing Tsai. He committed suicide by shooting himself with a golden bullet. It is said that Cai had a great treasure which was hidden on Matsu Islands
: it had never been found to this day.
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
:Cài Qiān) was a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
sea merchant, considered by some a pirate during the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
era.
Biography
He was born in Tong'an DistrictTong'an District
Tong'an District is a northern mainland district of Xiamen which faces Jinmen. Tong'an is located on the southeast of Fujian province. To the north is Anxi and Nan'an, to the south is Jimei. Tong'an is also east of Lianxiang and Changqin to the West...
, Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
Province, China. Facing starvation, he became a pirate in 1794. At the height of his power, he commanded along Cheung Po Tsai
Cheung Po Tsai
Cheung Po Tsai was a 19th century Chinese pirate. He was also known as Cheung Po/Chang Pao/Zhang Bao .Several places in Hong Kong are linked to Cheung Po Tsai:* Cheung Po Tsai Cave, on Cheung Chau island...
hundreds of ships and thousands of pirates: he was Tsai's mate. They predated others on the seas of Fujian, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
and Taiwan Strait
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
. They came to be considered as a major threat to Chinese political stability. Because the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessmen sold English guns to Tsai, Qianlong Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
became angry with the British. Qianlong Emperor blamed George Macartney
George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney
George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney, KB was an Irish-born British statesman, colonial administrator and diplomat. He is often remembered for his observation following Britain's success in the Seven Years War and subsequent territorial expansion at the Treaty of Paris that Britain now controlled...
over this issue, a fact which led to Chinese hostility towards the United Kingdom during the Chinese Rites controversy
Chinese Rites controversy
The Chinese Rites controversy was a dispute within the Catholic Church from the 1630s to the early 18th century about whether Chinese folk religion rites and offerings to the emperor constituted idolatry...
. In 1799, Cai married a weapons expert who spoke English: her expertise proved beneficial for their accumulation of wealth. Some diaries said her name is Lin Yuyau (林玉腰) and she had lived in Fangyuan, Changhua
Fangyuan, Changhua
Fangyuan is a rural township in Changhua County, Taiwan. The population was 36,809 in June 2008.-Geography:Fangyuan is located at .The township has a total area of 96.89 km²....
in Taiwan. In 1802, Cai occupied Xiamen
Xiamen
Xiamen , also known as Amoy , is a major city on the southeast coast of the People's Republic of China. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of and population of 3.53 million...
's guns bases.
In 1804 and 1805 Cai and Tsai twice attacked Taiwan's provincial capital of Tainan
Tainan
Tainan City is a city in southern Taiwan. It is the fifth largest after New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei. It was formerly a provincial city, and in 2010, the provincial city merged with the adjacent Tainan County to form a single special municipality. Tainan faces the Taiwan Strait in...
but was defeated. In the battle of 1804, Tsai defeated the Qing fleet from Wenzhou
Wenzhou
Wenzhou is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. The area under its jurisdiction, which includes two satellite cities and six counties, had a population of 9,122,100 as of 2010....
. Within the next four years he fought many battles against Tasi and Cai voweing to destroy their fleets. In January 1808, Fujian and Zhejiang admirals nearly destroyed their fleet near Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, through a battle which lasted one day and one night. They succeeded in defeating their enemies, which made Qing's navy beginning fearing Tsai. He committed suicide by shooting himself with a golden bullet. It is said that Cai had a great treasure which was hidden on Matsu Islands
Matsu Islands
The Matsu Islands are a minor archipelago of 19 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang County , Fujian Province of the Republic of China . Only a small area of what is historically Lienchiang County is under the control of the ROC...
: it had never been found to this day.