Cai Qian facts for kids

Cai Qian (Chinese: 蔡牽; 1761–1809) was a famous Chinese sea merchant who lived during the Qing dynasty. Some people also called him a pirate because of his activities on the seas. He was a powerful leader who commanded many ships and sailors.

Cai Qian's Early Life

Cai Qian was born in Tong'an District, a place in Fujian, China. However, some old records have different ideas about where he was born. Some say he was from Zhangzhou, while others say he was from a village called Xiapu.

We don't know much about Cai Qian's childhood. He had a tough life. First, he worked as a farmer, and then he became a fisherman. Because it was hard to find food, he started working on the seas in 1794. People who knew him said he was not very tall, but he was very ambitious. He always wanted to move up and become more powerful. His cleverness helped him become a strong leader among the many groups on the South China Sea.

Rise to Power and Battles

At his strongest, Cai Qian and another famous sea leader, Cheung Po Tsai, led hundreds of ships. They had thousands of sailors working with them. They sailed the seas near Fujian, Guangdong, and the Taiwan Strait. They became a big challenge to the Chinese government at the time.

Cai Qian married a woman in 1799 who was an expert with weapons. She also spoke English, which was unusual then. Her skills might have helped them become even richer and more powerful. Some old diaries say her name was Lin Yuyau.

Attacks on Taiwan

In 1802, Cai Qian took control of some important gun bases in Xiamen. This showed how strong his group had become.

Cai Qian and Cheung Po Tsai tried to attack Tainan, the main city in Taiwan, two times. They attacked in 1804 and again in 1805. But both times, they were defeated. In the 1804 battle, Cheung Po Tsai actually beat the Qing navy from Wenzhou. For the next four years, Cai Qian fought many battles against the government's ships. He wanted to destroy their fleets.

Major Sea Fights

In January 1808, the admirals from Fujian and Zhejiang almost destroyed Cai Qian's fleet. This big battle happened near Hong Kong and lasted a whole day and night. But Cai Qian and his allies managed to win. After this, the Qing navy became afraid of Cai Qian and Cheung Po Tsai.

Final Defeat

In 1809, a naval leader named Wang Delu surrounded Cai Qian's ships. This happened off the coast of Wenzhou in Zhejiang. Cai Qian was finally defeated.

There are old stories that say Cai Qian had a huge treasure. People believe he hid it on the Matsu Islands. But to this day, no one has ever found this treasure.