Hong Kong, with its renowned skyline and vibrant culture, is not always associated with a rich maritime heritage or teeming underwater worlds. The city, known for its architectural achievements and bustling markets, is a sight to be seen in and of itself but the allure of Hong Kong extends well beyond its urban glamor. Reaching into the depths of its surrounding seas, there is a different, lesser-known narrative still prime for discovery.
The concept of “edge of earth” isn’t limited to remote and untouched locations; it encompasses places rich with untapped potential. And for us, Hong Kong epitomizes this. Here, secrets are buried just a stone's throw from its iconic structures and thriving city life, making it one of the more interesting places on the eastern hemisphere.
Our initiation into The Explorers Club Hong Kong Chapter provided us with valuable connections to those well-versed in the city’s hidden maritime legacy and the underground (and sometimes rouge) scuba dive community\. Interactions with these insiders unveiled a world beyond the typical metropolis experience, immersing us in tales of an underwater Hong Kong that remains largely unexplored. Little did I know that these tales of the lesser known underwater Hong Kong would lead me to one of the coolest history lessons I'd never heard of: the tale of Zheng Yi Sao, the “Pirate Queen of Hong Kong."
As one of the oldest and largest civilizations on earth, China’s history is lengthy, to say the least. And like many countries that were subject to formerly imperialistic powers, China’s more modern history is complex and tumultuous. Its ancient heritage paired with its period as a British colony, lasting 150 years, both have shaped the city’s identity considerably. However, the westernization of the city in many ways came as a detriment to the city’s more traditional cultural traits. In order to understand this, we’ll need to take a look even further back in China’s history—to a time predating the Brits altogether.
Despite mainland China achieving its independence in 1912, it wouldn’t be until 1997 that Hong Kong officially emancipated itself from the United Kingdom. The 'One Country, Two Systems' policy promised the highest degree of autonomy outside the China mainland, but its implementation has birthed tensions and adaptations, dynamically affecting the portrayal and perception of the city's history.
Political movements advocating for democracy and autonomy are continuously reshaping Hong Kong’s identity. Home to a diverse population, this city embodies a rich cultural narrative, influenced by varied global and local perspectives. Rapid urban development has sometimes led to the loss of physical and natural landmarks, making the task of tracing and visualizing the city's historical evolution even more challenging.
Sprinkled throughout this unique history are tales of pirates ruling the seas and how they took full advantage of Hong Kong’s growing reputation as one of the world’s most precious epicenters of trade and commerce. As much as we love the complexities of pre and post imperial rule in China, the pirates piqued our interest to the max.
In the lively area between Central and Victoria Peak lies the “Mid-Levels”. Here the residents use escalators to navigate the higher and lower levels of the city, making the commuting experience that much more interesting. This weird slice of metropolis was going to be our home for the next two weeks. It was there that we would meet with both seasoned and emerging explorers who shared pirate stories and pulled us deeper into the allure of Hong Kong’s past. From Michael Barth, Chapter President of The Explorers Club, to Mike Sakas, a rising documentarian, to Adam Janikowski, a modern-day explorer with multiple lives—the stories were fruitful and endless. We were officially hooked.
After stopping on every street corner to try dumplings, our next stop was the famed Maritime Museum. We were pointed there by everyone we spoke with, as it was said to be the best place to start unpacking Hong Kong’s maritime history.
Everyone knows the Brits love a good cup of tea, but it was their insatiable demand for it back in the early 1800’s that led to Hong Kong’s initial popularity with the west. In addition, the trade (and war) for opioids and ceramics were hefty contributors to the rich maritime history seen in Hong Kong. The popularity of these highly sought after commodities made Hong Kong a trading epicenter of the far east. And with this status, came inevitably more nefarious and illegal means of exchanging these goods.
Watching movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, we have a vision of what life as a pirate was like. However, that’s far from the reality, especially for those in and out of Hong Kong. Media and entertainment tends to portray pirates as eurocentric, leaving many not associating pirates of those from the east.
Perhaps this is because the word “pirate” of European origin doesn’t translate the same way in all cultures. In Hong Kong, pirates were called Hǎidào, which roughly translates to “sea bandits.” These Chinese “sea bandits” had a remit far larger than that of western pirates, and also far looser terms for the collection of crimes they actually committed. Sea bandits raided coastal communities, smuggled and assaulted commercial and military ships alike. Basically, they were everywhere and anywhere, not necessarily limited to the high seas like their western counterparts.
We found a 16 meter (52 feet) scroll in the museum that told the story of what happened during the period between 1780-1810, which goes down in history as the largest ongoing sea bandit conflict in China. This was the biggest fleet of sea bandits in the world, and the most ferocious one as well. They had no problem going up against the Imperial authorities in full force. For a long period of time, this movement was led by a woman named Zheng Yi Sao, also known as the “Pirate Queen.”
Not much was known about Zheng Yi Sao’s early life, but some say she was captured and forced to marry Zheng Yi, a powerful sea bandit leader who commanded the infamous Red Flag Fleet. Her name literally translates to “Wife of Zheng Yi,” so not much is known pre marriage.
Others said that she agreed to it, assuming she would be able to have a rightful share in the sea bandit empire. After Zheng Yi's death in 1807, Zheng Yi Sao took control of the fleet and became one of the most powerful sea bandit leaders in history thanks to her smarts, strategic mind and unwavering resilience.
Despite being a woman in the largely patriarchal society of the time, her leadership was undisputed. She commanded over 1,800 sea bandit ships comprising an estimated 80,000 men. She established a very strict and unforgiving code of conduct. For instance, any pirate who disobeyed orders was beheaded on the spot. There were also rules about the treatment of female captives, ensuring they were not mistreated. This code, combined with her leadership style, cemented her authority and maintained order in the fleet.
Zheng Yi Sao and her fleet were involved in numerous battles and skirmishes with the Qing Dynasty’s Chinese navy, as well as with British and Portuguese bounty hunters. Despite these powerful enemies, her fleet remained unvanquished for years. In 1810, the Chinese government offered amnesty to all sea bandits who would surrender and cease their criminal activities. Zheng Yi Sao negotiated the terms of her surrender with the Chinese officials. She was granted amnesty and allowed to keep the wealth she accumulated as a sea bandit.
She eventually retired from sea bandit life and opened a gambling house. Zheng Yi Sao lived out the rest of her life in peace and affluence until her death at the age of 69 in 1844. Remarkably, she is one of the very few sea bandits who retired and died of natural causes rather than being executed or killed in battle. She is truly the ultimate badass!
Despite the grandiose of her tale, there was another who ultimately became the face of the sea bandits in Hong Kong—Cheung Po Tsai. A sea bandit lord, Cheung Po Tsai terrorized the South China Sea during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became a legendary figure, not only in the archives of Hong Kong’s history but also in the broader region.
Cheung Po Tsai started as a fisherman who was captured by sea bandits and eventually adopted by their leader. He quickly ascended the ranks and at the peak of his career, commanded a fleet of hundreds of ships manned by up to 50,000 men. He and his fleet were infamous for raiding cities and towns along the coastlines of Southern China and trafficking in opium and other goods.
The waters around Hong Kong and the myriad of its islands provided ideal hideouts for these sea bandits. The intricate coastline, characterized by hidden coves, secret inlets and uninhabited islands, offered natural sanctuaries where they could lay low, count their loot and evade the Qing navy. Cheung Po Tsai Cave, located on Cheung Chau Island in Hong Kong, is one of the most famous sea bandit hideouts—said to have been the place where he stored his treasures.
The era of sea bandits led to heightened maritime security in the region. The Qing government, assisted by the British, intensified efforts to eradicate sea bandits, culminating in the surrender of Cheung Po Tsai. In a turn of events, Cheung joined the Qing imperial navy, utilizing his extensive sea bandit knowledge to counteract maritime crimes.
Getting to Cheung Chau island is not particularly challenging. After an hour-long boat ride, we scored bikes on the island and found ourselves inside this awesome hideaway cave only a few hours later. And not a soul was in sight here. Typically, Cheung Chau is bustling, as it's an amazing getaway destination from the mainland. However, while we were there, we had the cave and its nearby beaches and inlets all to ourselves.
Although we didn’t find any treasure or dive any sunken sea bandit ships, we did uncover something else less tangible but perhaps more important. As we experienced during our time in Hong Kong, there’s so much left to explore in some of the most unsuspecting places. There are countless versions of Hong Kong’s relatively unexplored land masses, such as Po Toi, Sung Kong and Waglan islands all around the world. Though places like these are in close proximity to huge city centers where there are so many people, discoveries are still happening today.
Tapping into your curiosity and stepping out into the unknown can open unique doors, stories and findings that you never thought would come your way. Exploration can happen anywhere, at any time and by anyone. That’s the beauty of it. Now, just learning about some of the most feared and famed sea bandits opened up our minds to endless possibilities of what’s out there that we do not know. That’s what it means to be on the edges of earth, and that’s why we are relentlessly exploring.
To be continued …
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