But in the early 19th century ... and the respect of the Qing establishment. Ching Shih was born around 1775 in Canton (now Guangdong). At 26, she was captured by a famous pirate leader ...
During China's Qing Dynasty, a fearsome female pirate queen named Ching Shih ruled the South China Sea. She led the Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships and around 80,000 pirates.