Loi Chai-san was a much more modern pirate than the others discussed here so far. Known as the ‘Queen of the Macao Pirates’, she preyed on shipping in the waters around Hong Kong in the 1920s.

She made her fortune both from stealing cargo and also from the proceeds of kidnap.

Loi Chai-San commanded a small group of 12 armed junks which she had acquired from another pirate by the name of Honcho Lo. Apparently, Loi Chai-San never spoke to her men directly. Instead, she spoke to them through two maids who were constantly by her side.

Chai-San always saw kidnap as a profitable venture and took captives whenever possible. She would inform the relatives and set a ransom. If this ransom was not paid within her timescale then she would send another, along with a finger or an ear from her captive. If this didn’t encourage a prompt payment then the captive would be murdered.

Loi Chai-San disappeared from history and no-one is quite sure what became of her. One story suggests that she was imprisoned for the rest of her life in 1939, after being captured by the Coast Guard. Another tale claims that she died during the China/Japan war after attacking a torpedo squadron.

Write a comment

You need tologin.