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Welcome back to the show!

I’m Ethan, and today we have an incredible story for you.

Pirates.

betrayal.

high-seas battles.

and a woman who became the most powerful pirate in history.

And get this—she didn’t just command a few ships.

At her peak, her fleet was more powerful than the entire British Navy at the time!

Before we get started, make sure to grab the free PDF in the description.

It has a full transcript, a vocabulary sheet, and follow-up questions to help you get the most out of this episode.

Alright, let’s get into it.

When you hear the word “pirate,” what comes to mind?

A scruffy guy with a hook for a hand?

A talking parrot on his shoulder?

Maybe even Captain Jack Sparrow, stumbling around looking for rum?

But what if I told you that one of the most powerful pirates in history.

wasn’t a man at all?

Today, we’re talking about Ching Shih, the Pirate Queen of China.

She didn’t just sail the seas—she ruled them.

Over 1,800 ships.

70,000 pirates under her command.

She was undefeated.

Even the most powerful empires—China, Britain, Portugal—couldn’t stop her.

And here’s the craziest part—she actually got away with it.

Unlike most pirates, she didn’t end up captured, hanged, or killed in battle.

She retired peacefully, rich and undefeated.

Think about that.

Most pirates met a pretty bad end—hunted by navies, betrayed by their own men, or executed.

But Ching Shih?

She beat the system.

So… how did she do it?

Let’s go back to the beginning.

Ching Shih was born around 1775 in China, but we don’t actually know her real name.

The name we use—Ching Shih—just means “Widow of Zheng.”

She started out working on what’s called a floating brothel—basically, a traveling entertainment ship in Canton.

This was common in southern China at the time, where ships served as floating markets, restaurants… and other businesses.

From a brothel ship.

to leading the most powerful pirate fleet in history?

That’s quite the career change.

In 1801, she married a pirate named Zheng Yi, who already controlled a powerful fleet.

But she wasn’t just his wife—she became his business partner.

Together, they expanded their power, uniting rival pirate gangs into one massive fleet: The Red Flag Fleet.

And when Zheng Yi died unexpectedly in 1807… Ching Shih didn’t step aside.

Instead, she took control of the entire fleet.

That was unheard of at the time.

Pirates weren’t exactly known for following orders—especially from a woman.

But she wasn’t just any leader… she was ruthless, strategic, and unbelievably smart.

So, how did she keep thousands of dangerous criminals under control?

She created one of the strictest pirate codes in history.

Rule #1: No attacking villages without permission.

If a pirate disobeyed?

Execution.

Yikes.

That’s intense.

Rule #2: All stolen goods had to be reported and shared.

Pirates couldn’t just take treasure for themselves.

The loot was distributed fairly, so no one got greedy.

That actually makes sense.

It kept pirates loyal to the fleet, rather than fighting each other over gold.

And here’s the most shocking rule—female captives had to be treated with respect.

If a pirate harmed a woman?

Immediate execution.

So she wasn’t just enforcing discipline—she was creating order out of chaos.

Ching Shih’s fleet was so powerful that the Chinese navy couldn’t stop her.

They tried multiple times—and failed.

In fact, she defeated them so badly that some naval officers ended up joining her fleet!

Imagine that!

The people sent to stop her… ended up working for her instead.

Eventually, the Qing Dynasty got desperate.

They even asked Portugal and Britain for help—but nothing worked.

And here’s where Ching Shih pulled off her greatest trick.

Instead of fighting until the bitter end, she negotiated a deal.

She walked into government offices… and secured a full pardon for herself and her pirates.

And the best part?

She got to keep all of her loot.

So she basically played the ultimate pirate game—and won.

From a brothel worker… to a pirate queen… to a wealthy retiree.

Ching Shih’s story is unlike any other in history.

So what do you think?

If you were a pirate, what would your pirate name be?

Let me know in the comments!

And don’t forget—download the free PDF in the description.

It has the full transcript, a vocabulary list, and follow-up questions to help you practice English!

Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you next time!