Chen Zuyi (); died 2 October 1407) was a 15th-century Chinese

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

from

Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...

, and was one of the most feared pirates to infest the seas of Southeast Asia. He ruled the city of

Palembang Palembang (, Palembang: ''Pelémbang'', Mandarin: 巨港 (Jùgǎng), Hokkien: 舊港 (Kū-káng), Jawi: ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The city proper covers on both banks of the Musi River in the ea ...

, and raided the

Strait of Malacca The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, long and from wide, between the Malay Peninsula to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pa ...

to plunder shipping and prey on both native and foreign merchants for several years. His fleet was defeated by the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

Admiral

Zheng He Zheng He (also romanized Cheng Ho; 1371–1433/1435) was a Chinese eunuch, admiral and diplomat from the early Ming dynasty, who is often regarded as the greatest admiral in History of China, Chinese history. Born into a Muslims, Muslim famil ...

at the Battle of Palembang (1407). Chen was captured and sent to Chinese capital

Nanjing Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400. Situated in the Yang ...

for execution.

Early career

According to Ming records his name is first recorded after 1400, when a Ming convoy was attacked by pirates commanded by Chen Zuyi. At Palembang Chen had 5,000 men and 10 ships under his command, and was the strongest pirate of Southeast Asia at the time. The island of

Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...

had a diverse ethnicity of people from different parts of Asia, including a large minority of Han Chinese population (mostly male migrants, traders and merchants), and as well as the majority Sumatrans. A Hui Chinese, Shi Jinqing, reported the atrocities committed by the pirate chieftains, and requested assistance to help get rid of Chen Zuyi. However, forcing passing vessels to pay duties was an essential financial element of Southeast Asian state governance, and it has been suggested that Chen Zuyi was merely doing the same for his Palembang port city.

Defeat by Zheng He

In 1407, Chen was confronted at Palembang by the returning Ming treasure fleet under Admiral

. Zheng made the opening gambit, demanding Chen's surrender, and Chen quickly signalled agreement—while preparing for a surprise pre-emptive strike. But details of his plan were disclosed to Zheng by a local Chinese informant, and in the fierce battle that ensued, the superior Ming armada destroyed the pirate fleet and killed 5,000 of its men. Chen was captured and sent to Chinese capital

for public execution in 1407. Peace was restored to the Strait of Malacca as Shi Jinqing was installed as Palembang's new ruler and incorporated into what would become a far-flung system of allies who acknowledged Ming supremacy in return for diplomatic recognition, military protection, and trading rights. By the end of the Yongle reign, the kings or ambassadors of more than 30 foreign states had paid official visits to the emperor bearing tribute. They were ferried to China in luxurious staterooms on the

Chinese treasure ship A Chinese treasure ship (, literally "gem ship") is a type of large wooden Chinese junk in the fleet of admiral Zheng He, who led Treasure voyages, seven voyages during the early 15th-century Ming dynasty. The size of the treasure ships, the la ...

In popular culture

Chen Zuyi is portrayed by the actor Hou Xiangling in the 2009 Chinese television series '' Zheng He Xia Xiyang'', which marked the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's voyages. Chen's defeat was considered the most famous of all Zheng He's military achievements.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Zuyi Chaoshanese people Chinese pirates History of Malacca Chinese diaspora in Asia People executed by the Ming dynasty Precolonial states of Indonesia 14th-century Chinese people Srivijaya Ming treasure voyages 1407 deaths 15th-century Chinese people Palembang History of Sumatra 15th-century executions by China

Early career

Defeat by Zheng He

In popular culture

See also

References