Coastal piracy in southeast China during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century was caused by such factors as the conflict between dominant continental values and peripheral maritime interests, the legacy of Ho-shen's maladministration, the explosive population growth, the deterioration of the imperial navy, and the Annamese civil war. During the late eighteenth century, the waters of Fukien and Chekiang were infested by an Annamese pirate fleet working in concert with Chinese pirate groups, including the Phoenix Tails, the Water Bays, and the Bamboo-yellows. The total strength of these pirate groups was about two hundred ships and ten thousand men. However, in the years following 1800 the configuration of pirate power in Fukien and Chekiang water underwent a profound change. This change was triggered by a "divine wind" which arose in mid-August 1800, which led to the demise of the Annamese fleet and other leading pirate bands. As a result, by the end of 1802 the waters of southeast China were dominated by a new generation of pirate association led by Ts'ai Ch'ien, Chang Ah-chih, Chu Fen, Ch'en Huang-k'uei, and other lesser chieftains. The imperial suppression campaigns initiated by Juan Yuan and Li Ch'ang-keng were hindered by uncooperative officials like Yu-te, A-linpao, and other Fukien authorities, who advocated a policy of "pardon and enticement" rather than aggressive counter measures. The situation was further worsened when Ts'ai Ch'ien obtained a number of "giant ocean-crossing junks" from Fukien shipbuilders and extended his sphere of influence to the waters of Taiwan. The pirate problem reached its peak between 1806 and 1807, when both Ts'ai Ch'ien and Chu Fen sought to challenge the legitimacy of Manchu rule through their conquest of Taiwan. However, both failed in their respective attempts to establish a maritime regime on Taiwan. By 1810, the fleets of Ts'ai Ch'ien, Chu Fen, Chang Ah-chih and others had been destroyed or pacified by the suppression tactics of the imperial authorities. Finally, the dissertation analyzes pirate organizations in terms of their inter-group relationships, internal structures, membership, ideologies, criminal activities, on-shore connections, and financial networks.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Also available in print.

蔡澤霖. / 複印手稿本. / Thesis (M.A.)--香港中文大學. / Fu yin shou gao ben. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238-248). / Cai Zelin. / Thesis (M.A.)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue. / 緒言 --- p.1 / Chapter 第一章 --- 海盜的成因 --- p.5 / Chapter 甲 --- 飢民入海為盜 --- p.25 / Chapter 乙 --- 陸賊入海為盜 --- p.31 / Chapter 丙 --- 官兵叛而為盜 --- p.35 / Chapter 丁 --- 海禁使民為盜 --- p.38 / Chapter 戊 --- 明亡後．義民入海為盜 --- p.49 / Chapter 己 --- 安南海盜到閩．粤滋擾 --- p.53 / 第一章註釋 --- p.65 / Chapter 第二章 --- 海盜的組織學裝備 --- p.74 / Chapter 甲 --- 海盜部眾之來源 --- p.74 / Chapter 乙 --- 海盜的組織 --- p.79 / Chapter 丙 --- 海盜的裝備 --- p.91 / Chapter 一 --- 海盜裝備的來源 --- p.91 / Chapter 二 --- 海盜裝備的種類 --- p.94 / 第二章註釋 --- p.104 / Chapter 第三章 --- 海盜的刦掠與作戰方法 --- p.109 / Chapter 甲 --- 海盜的刦掠方法 --- p.110 / Chapter 乙 --- 海盜作戰方法 --- p.120 / 第三章注釋 --- p.131 / Chapter 第四章 --- 閩粤地方對付海盜之法及海盜猖獗原因 --- p.135 / Chapter 甲 --- 海盜猖獗原因 --- p.136 / Chapter 乙 --- 海盜猖獗原因 --- p.155 / 第四章注釋 --- p.180 / Chapter 第五章 --- 明嘉靖至清嘉慶閩粤海盜一覽表 --- p.186 / 結語 --- p.232 / 徵引書目 --- p.238

published_or_final_version / History / Master / Master of Philosophy

Merchants, seafarers, pirates: the maritime societies of Southeast Fujian played a crucial role in maritime activities during the Ming Dynasty. Regarding the traditional discourse, scholars have discussed the elimination of wokou and local petty pirates during the late Ming period. This study proves otherwise via an extensive examination of the governance and management of the maritime societies implemented by the Ming regime and its local officials. This study considers how the local officials formed their judgements on the cases of seafaring population by examining court opinions and other historical materials. This study also reveals the identities and the cultural habits of the maritime societies. The findings show that the identities of the societies mentioned above were not formed in an arbitrary manner. In addition, wokou and local petty pirates still posed a great threat to the Southeast coast of Fujian during the closing decades of the Ming Dynasty and that the severity of pirate issues was mainly related to cultural habits of the maritime societies and the regime's governance.

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences / Department of History