Cai Qian (蔡牽) | 24 Histories

Overview

Cai Qian was a Pirate Leader.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Epithet	rebel Cai	蔡逆

Life and dates

Death

AD 1809 蔡牽既滅
Cause Destroyed as pirate leader
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 226
AD 1809 長庚既歿後
Cause Destroyed by Wang Delu and Qiu Lianggong
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 82
AD 1809 十四年
Blew up his ship and sank
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 149, 158
AD 1809 十四年
Fell into the sea · At Zhejiang waters 浙洋
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 153
AD 1809 嘉慶十四年八月
Suicide by blowing up own ship · At Black Water Sea 黑水洋
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 123
AD 1809 嘉慶十四年秋
Destroyed in joint naval battle
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 364, passage 33

Attested activity

AD 1804 九年夏
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 28
AD 1804 九年秋
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 29
AD 1794 to AD 1803 乾隆季年後至嘉慶八年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 21-22, 25
AD 1806 十一年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 359, passages 131-132
AD 1806 十一年四月
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 39
AD 1806 十一年春
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 139

Show 19 more source-backed claims

AD 1806 十一年正月
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 34
AD 1808 十三年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 150
AD 1807 十二年十二月
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 66, 68-69
AD 1807 十二年春
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 64
AD 1809 十四年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 144, 149, 156
AD 1809 十四年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 153
AD 1805 十年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 32
AD 1802 嘉慶七年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 102
AD 1804 嘉慶九年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 362, passages 132-133
AD 1800 to AD 1809 嘉慶五年至十四年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 364, passages 21, 33
AD 1803 嘉慶八年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 25-27
AD 1801 嘉慶六年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 352, passages 117-118
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年春
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 106
AD 1809 嘉慶十四年八月
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 120, 123
AD 1805 嘉慶十年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 104, 136
AD 1805 to AD 1807 嘉慶十年至十二年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 170-171, 177
AD 1793 to AD 1814 擢興泉永道
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 176
AD 1809 蔡牽既滅
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 226
AD 1809 長庚既歿後
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 82

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Cai San (蔡三)
adopted son 養子 · Adoptive parentage
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 176
Spouse of Wife of Cai Qian (蔡牽妻)
wife 妻
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 156

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Zhangzhou pirate leader 漳盜
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 21
King Who Pacifies the Sea 鎮海王
AD 1806 十一年正月 · Self proclaimed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 34
Destroyed
Destroyed bandit leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 226

Places and affiliations

Polity Qing 清 · Relation Active under
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 29
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Operated against
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 21
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Rebelled against
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 102, 124
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Rebelled against
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 136
At Tong'an 同安
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 22
AD 1806 十一年
At Lu'ermen 鹿耳門 · Relation Blocked then escaped
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 34, 38, 45

Show 2 more source-backed claims

Organization Fengwei gang 鳳尾幫 · Relation Absorbed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 22
Organization Shui'ao gang 水澳幫 · Relation Absorbed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 22

Works and attributed material

AD 1803 嘉慶八年
Petition · Author · With Yude (玉德) · Paraphrased · Mode allegation
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 25
Edict · Subject · Mode named-source-report
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 124

Events and relationships

Absorbed surviving pirates and repeatedly raided Zhejiang
AD 1800 to AD 1808 嘉慶五年後 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 364, passage 21
Absorbed remaining Fujian junk pirates and Fengwei Shui'ao factions
Military · Leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 21-22
Attacked Taiwan
AD 1806 十一年正月 · Military · Commander · At Taiwan 台灣
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 34, 37-38
Bribed merchants for taller junks raided Taiwan rice and joined Zhu Fen
AD 1803 嘉慶八年 · Military · Leader · With Zhu Fen (硃濆) · At Taiwan 台灣
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 27
Defeated at Hujing Sea
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 104
Defeated at Yushan; final battle in Black Water Sea; blew up own ship
AD 1809 嘉慶十四年八月 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 120-123

Show 28 more source-backed claims

Defeated at
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年 · Military · Opponent · At Zhouzaiwei, Taiwan 台灣洲仔尾
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 174
Defeated
AD 1806 五月 · Military · Pirate leader · At Lu'ermen 鹿耳門
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 140
Destroyed by
AD 1809 卒殲渠魁 · Military · Ringleader · With Wang Delu (王得祿)
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 230
Destroyed by
AD 1809 卒殲渠魁 · Military · Ringleader · With Qiu Lianggong (邱良功)
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 230
Disturbed Taiwan
Piracy · Leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 352, passage 118
Encountered at Shui'ao; ships burned
AD 1805 嘉慶十年九月 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 105
Engaged at Donghu Sea
AD 1802 嘉慶七年 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 102
Entered Fujian with combined fleet and killed Hu Zhensheng
AD 1804 九年夏 · Military · Co commander · With Zhu Fen (硃濆) · Target Person Id Hu Zhensheng (胡振聲) · At Fujian 閩
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 27-28
Escaped
AD 1806 十一年春 · Military · Pirate leader · At Zhouzaiwei 洲仔尾
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 139
Escaped
AD 1807 十二年十二月 · Military · Fugitive · At waters beyond Annam 安南外洋
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 69
Feigned surrender
AD 1803 嘉慶八年 · Diplomatic · Petitioner · With Yude (玉德) · At Sansha 三沙 · Mode allegation
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 25
Fought at
Military · Opponent · At Little Ryukyu 小琉球
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 171
Invaded Taiwan and besieged prefectural seat
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年春 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 106
Lost six ships to Zhejiang pursuit
AD 1803 嘉慶八年 · Military · Loser · At Sansha and Wenzhou 三沙及溫州
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 26
Pursued in Guangdong waters
AD 1806 是年冬 · Military · Pursued · With Li Changgeng (李長庚)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 148
Pursued
AD 1805 嘉慶十年 · Military · Pirate leader · At Little Ryukyu 小琉球
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 136
Raided Kavalan
Military · Raider · At Kavalan, Taiwan 台灣噶仔蘭
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 149
Rampant with
AD 1806 十一年 · Military · Pirate leader · With Zhu Fen (硃濆)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 146
Refitted ships and escaped after Zhejiang fleet ordered to harbor
AD 1803 嘉慶八年 · Military · Escapee · With Yude (玉德)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 25
Remained unsubdued
AD 1806 十一年 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 132
Remaining twelve hundred followers later surrendered; coastal piracy ended
AD 1809 嘉慶十四年 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 125
Returned to Lu'ermen and lost ships
AD 1806 嘉慶十一年五月 · Military · Pirate leader
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 110
Scuttled ship and sank
AD 1809 十四年 · Military · Pirate leader · At Yushan / Black Water Sea 漁山外洋／黑水洋
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 144, 149, 158
Surprised at Putuo and nearly captured
AD 1803 嘉慶八年 · Military · Fugitive · With Li Changgeng (李長庚) · At Dinghai / Mount Putuo 定海 / 普陀山
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 25
AD 1808 十三年
Relation Broke with · Person Zhu Fen (硃濆)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 359, passage 150
Relation Opponent of · Person Li Changgeng (李長庚)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 24-25
Relation Leader of · Person Li An (李按)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 39
Relation Ally of · Person Zhu Fen (硃濆)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 27, 29-30, 39

Assessments and attributes

cunning and skilled at commanding large forces
Character
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 22
Item foreign junks and large junks taller than Thunder Ships 夷艇及高於霆船之大艇 · Relation Commanded
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passages 22, 27

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 21; Draft History of Qing 359, passage 131
rebelled for fourteen years before destruction
AD 1795 to AD 1809 蔡牽肆逆 · 肆逆十有四年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 350, passage 124

References in the histories

Search passages

History

69 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 350Volume 350 Biographies 137: Li Changgeng Son: Ting Yu, Hu Zhensheng, Wang Delu, Qiu Lianggong, Chen Buyun, Xu Songnian, Huang Biao, Lin Guoliang, Xu Tinggui · 51 passages

Open chapter

其在閩者，皆為漳盜蔡牽所並，有艇百餘，粵盜硃濆亦得數十艘。 Those who remained in Fujian were absorbed by the Zhangzhou pirate Cai Qian, who commanded more than a hundred junks, while the Guangdong pirate Zhu Fen acquired several dozen vessels of his own.

牽，同安人，奸猾善用眾，既得夷艇，凡水澳、鳳尾諸黨悉歸之，遂猖獗。 Cai Qian, also from Tong'an, was cunning and adept at commanding large forces; once he held the foreign junks, every Shui'ao and Fengwei faction rallied to him, and his power became unchecked.

連敗牽等於海上，軍威大振。 He defeated Cai Qian and his allies again and again at sea, and the navy's prestige soared.

八年，牽竄定海，進香普陀山，長庚掩至，牽僅以身免，窮追至閩洋，賊船糧盡帆壞，偽乞降於總督玉德，遣興泉永道慶徠赴三沙招撫，玉德遽檄浙師收港，牽得以其間修船揚帆去。 In the eighth year Cai Qian slipped into Dinghai to offer incense at Mount Putuo; Changgeng surprised him, and Qian escaped only with his life. Changgeng pursued him into Fujian waters until the pirate fleet was out of provisions and its sails in tatters. Qian then feigned surrender to Governor-General Yude, who sent Circuit Intendant Qing Lai of Xing-Quan-Yong to Sansha to negotiate. Yude abruptly ordered the Zhejiang fleet back to harbor, and Qian used the respite to refit his ships and escape.

牽畏霆船，賄閩商造大艇，高於霆船，出洋以被劫報，牽得之，渡橫洋，劫台灣米以餉硃濆，遂與之合。 Fearing the Thunder Ships, Qian bribed Fujian merchants to build larger junks, taller than the Thunder Ships, which were reported stolen once they left port; he took possession of them, crossed the open sea, raided Taiwan for rice to supply Zhu Fen, and then united with him.

九年夏，連䑸八十餘入閩，戕總兵胡振聲，詔治閩將不援罪，長庚總統兩省水師。 In the summer of the ninth year, Cai Qian and Zhu Fen entered Fujian with a combined fleet of more than eighty vessels and killed Regional Commander Hu Zhensheng. An edict called for punishment of Fujian officers who had failed to reinforce, and Changgeng was placed in overall command of the naval forces of both provinces.

秋，牽、濆共犯浙，長庚合諸鎮兵擊之於定海北洋，衝賊為二，自當牽，急擊，逐至盡山。 That autumn Cai Qian and Zhu Fen jointly raided Zhejiang. Changgeng combined the garrison fleets and engaged them in the northern waters off Dinghai, splitting the enemy force in two. He personally took on Qian, pressed the attack, and drove him as far as Jinshan.

牽以大艇得遁，委敗硃濆，濆怒，於是復分。 Qian escaped in his large junk and left Zhu Fen to bear the defeat. Fen was furious, and the two allies parted ways once more.

牽聞長庚至，遂竄浙，追敗之青龍港，又敗之於台州斗米洋。 When Cai Qian learned that Changgeng had arrived, he fled into Zhejiang. Changgeng pursued him, defeated him at Qinglong Harbor, and beat him again in the Doumiyang waters off Taizhou.

十一年正月，牽合百餘艘犯台灣，結土匪萬餘攻府城，自號鎮海王，沉舟鹿耳門阻援兵。 In the first month of the eleventh year, Cai Qian assembled more than a hundred vessels to attack Taiwan, allied with more than ten thousand local bandits to besiege the prefectural seat, proclaimed himself King Who Pacifies the Sea, and sank ships at Lu'ermen to block reinforcements.

二月，松年登洲仔尾，焚其藔，牽反救，長庚遣兵出南汕，與松年夾擊，大敗之。 In the second month Xu Songnian landed at Zhouzaiwei and burned the pirate camps. When Qian turned back to relieve them, Changgeng sent forces out from Nanshan to join Songnian in a pincer attack and routed the pirates completely.

牽無去路，困守北汕。 With no escape route left, Qian was trapped at Beishan.

會風潮驟漲，沉舟漂起，乃奪鹿耳門逸去，詔奪花翎、頂戴。 Then a sudden storm raised the tide, lifting the sunken blockships, and Qian broke through Lu'ermen and escaped. An edict stripped Changgeng of his peacock feather and rank insignia.

四月，蔡牽、硃濆同犯福寧外洋，擊敗之，追至台州斗米洋，擒其黨李按等。 In the fourth month Cai Qian and Zhu Fen jointly raided the outer waters off Funing. Changgeng defeated them, pursued them to Doumiyang off Taizhou, and captured their lieutenant Li An and others.

長庚疏言：「蔡逆未能殲擒者，實由兵船不得力，接濟未斷絕所致。 Changgeng memorialized: 'The reason the rebel Cai has not yet been destroyed and captured is that our war vessels are inadequate and shore supplies to the pirates have not been cut off.

臣所乘之船，較各鎮為最大，及逼近牽船，尚低五六尺。 The vessel I command is the largest in the fleet, yet when we close with Qian's ship we are still five or six feet lower.

八月中戰漁山，圍攻蔡逆，火器瓦石雨下，身受多創，將士傷百四十人，鏖戰不退。 In the eighth month he fought at Yushan, besieging the rebel Cai. Firearms and stones rained down on his ship. He was wounded many times, a hundred and forty of his officers and men were hurt, yet he fought on without yielding.

十二年春，擊敗牽於粵洋大星嶼。 In the spring of the twelfth year he defeated Cai Qian at Daxing Island in Guangdong waters.

十二月，遂偕福建提督張見升追牽入澳，窮其所向，至黑水洋。 In the twelfth month he joined Fujian Commander-in-Chief Zhang Jiansheng in pursuing Qian into the open ocean, following him all the way to the Black Water Sea.

牽僅存三艇，皆百戰之寇，以死拒。 Qian had only three junks left, manned by hardened veterans who fought to the death.

長庚自以火攻船掛其艇尾，欲躍登，忽砲中喉，移時而殞。 Changgeng himself took a fire ship, grappled it to the stern of Qian's junk, and prepared to board. Suddenly a cannonball struck his throat, and he died shortly afterward.

時戰艦數十倍於賊，見升庸懦，遙見總統船亂，遽退，牽乃遁入安南外洋。 The fleet outnumbered the pirates many times over, but Zhang Jiansheng was timid and incompetent. Seeing the commander's ship in disarray from a distance, he hastily withdrew, and Qian escaped into the waters beyond Annam.

海外事無左證，公但斬一酋，以牽首報，我飛章告捷，以餘賊歸善後辦理。 Out at sea there are no witnesses. You need only cut off one chieftain's head and report it as Qian's. I will send an urgent victory memorial, and we can deal with the remaining pirates afterward.

二人遵其部勒，卒滅蔡牽，竟全功焉。 The two men followed his battle plans, eventually destroyed Cai Qian, and brought the campaign to a successful close.

七年，從李長庚擊蔡牽於東滬洋，擒賊目徐業等百餘人，又擒呂送於崇武洋，被獎敘。 In the seventh year he fought under Li Changgeng against Cai Qian in the Donghu Sea, capturing more than a hundred pirates including the chieftain Xu Ye, and later captured Lü Song in the Chongwu Sea, for which he received an official commendation.

十年，擊蔡牽於虎井洋，敗之，署澎湖協副將。 In the tenth year he defeated Cai Qian at Hujing Sea and was appointed acting deputy commander of the Penghu Brigade.

九月，遇牽於水澳，焚其舟，擒殲硃列等百餘人。 In the ninth month he met Cai Qian at Shui'ao, burned his ships, and killed or captured more than a hundred of his men, including Zhu Lie.

十一年春，牽入台灣，圍府城。 In the spring of the eleventh year, Cai Qian invaded Taiwan and besieged the prefectural seat.

五月，牽复竄鹿耳門，得祿首先沖擊，獲船十，沈船十一。 In the fifth month Cai Qian slipped back to Lu'ermen. Delu led the assault, capturing ten ships and sinking eleven.

十四年八月，同擊蔡牽於定海漁山，敗之。 In the eighth month of the fourteenth year they jointly attacked Cai Qian at Yushan off Dinghai and defeated him.

牽東南走，追至黑水洋，合擊累日，良功以浙舟駢列賊舟東，得祿率閩舟列浙舟東，戰酣，良功舟傷暫退，得祿舟進，附牽舟，諸賊黨隔不得援。 Qian fled southeast, and they pursued him to the Black Water Sea, where they fought together for days. Lianggong arrayed the Zhejiang fleet east of the pirate ships while Delu led the Fujian fleet to the east of the Zhejiang line. In the heat of battle Lianggong's ship was damaged and withdrew briefly. Delu pressed forward, grappled Qian's vessel, and cut off the pirate reinforcements.

牽鉛丸盡，以番銀代，得祿額腕皆傷，擲火焚牽舟尾樓，复衝斷其柁。 Qian ran out of lead shot and fired foreign silver coins instead. Delu was wounded in the forehead and both wrists. He hurled fire onto the stern tower of Qian's ship and then rammed and shattered its rudder.

牽知不免，舉砲自裂其舟沉於海。 Seeing that escape was impossible, Qian fired his own cannon into his ship and sent it to the bottom.

詔以牽肆逆十有四年，渠魁就殲，厥功甚偉，錫封得祿二等子爵，賜雙眼花翎。 An edict declared that after fourteen years of rebellion the pirate leader had at last been destroyed, a signal achievement. Delu was enfeoffed as a second-rank viscount and awarded the double-eyed peacock feather.

嘉慶十年，偕許松年會剿蔡牽，追至小琉球，見台灣師船二為賊圍，赴援，松年舉旗招之，未至。 In the tenth year of Jiaqing he joined Xu Songnian in a joint campaign against Cai Qian and pursued him as far as Little Ryukyu. Seeing two Taiwan naval vessels surrounded by pirates, he went to their relief, but though Songnian raised signals summoning him, he did not arrive in time.

十一年春，從李長庚擊蔡牽，破洲仔尾賊巢，牽乘間逸，奪頂戴。 In the spring of the eleventh year he fought under Li Changgeng against Cai Qian and destroyed the pirate base at Zhouzaiwei, but Qian escaped in the confusion and Lianggong was stripped of his rank insignia.

五月，破牽於鹿耳門，賜花翎。 In the fifth month he defeated Qian at Lu'ermen and was awarded the peacock feather.

偕王得祿合擊蔡牽於漁山外洋，乘上風逼之，夜半浪急，不得進。 He joined Wang Delu in attacking Cai Qian in the outer waters off Yushan, using the favorable wind to close on the enemy, but at midnight the seas grew too rough to advance.

明日，复要截環攻，牽且戰且走，傍午逾黑水洋，見綠水。 The next day they tried again to intercept and encircle him. Qian fought as he fled, and by noon the pursuit had crossed the Black Water Sea and reached green water.

良功恐日暮賊遁，大呼突進，以己舟逼牽舟，兩篷相結。 Fearing that Qian would escape at dusk, Lianggong shouted and charged forward, driving his ship against Qian's until their sails became entangled.

閩師繼之，牽遂裂舟自沉。 The Fujian fleet pressed the attack, and Qian blew up his own ship and went down with it.

從良功追蔡牽，步雲以四十人駕舟徑逼牽艦鏖鬥，舟小不相當，見兩提督至，亟投火罐焚賊艦，以長戟鉤舷，率數卒躍登，短兵相搏，殲牽妻及其黨。 Serving under Lianggong in the pursuit of Cai Qian, Buyun took forty men in a small boat straight at Qian's flagship. Though his craft was no match in size, when the two commanders-in-chief arrived he hurled fire pots onto the pirate ship, hooked its rail with a long halberd, led a handful of men aboard, fought at close quarters, and killed Qian's wife and her followers.

賊艦已壞，牽猶持利刃踞柁樓，顧欲取之。 The pirate ship was already crippled, but Qian still held a blade on the rudder tower, turning as if to strike Buyun down.

良功隔船疾呼，船與水平，速去，放長繩水中援之起，而牽船沒矣。 Lianggong shouted from the next ship that the deck was awash and ordered him away at once. He lowered a rope into the water and hauled Buyun up just as Qian's ship went under.

爾準薦其才可勝專閫，入覲，宣宗曰：「汝即隨邱、王兩提督攻沉蔡牽之陳步雲耶？」 Erzhun recommended him as fit for high command. At his audience the Daoguang Emperor asked: "Are you Chen Buyun, who fought under Commanders Qiu and Wang to destroy Cai Qian?"

擊蔡牽於小琉球； He fought Cai Qian at Little Ryukyu;

又迭擊牽於青龍港、斗米洋。 He also fought Qian repeatedly at Qinglong Harbor and Doumiyang.

十一年，偕王得祿敗牽於台灣洲仔尾，跐海水而登，焚溺無算。 In the eleventh year he joined Wang Delu in defeating Qian at Zhouzaiwei in Taiwan, wading through the surf to board enemy ships and burning or drowning countless pirates.

是年夏，李長庚攻牽於鹿耳門，松年扼張坑、返埕洋面，獲賊船一，沉船三，又於水澳擒蔡三來等。 That summer, while Li Changgeng attacked Qian at Lu'ermen, Songnian held the waters off Zhangkeng and Fancheng, captured one pirate ship, sank three, and at Shui'ao captured Cai Sanlai and others.

十二年，從長庚擊蔡牽於大星嶼、浮鷹洋，松年躍入賊船獲之，被優敘。 In the twelfth year he fought under Changgeng against Cai Qian at Daxing Island and Fuying Sea. Songnian leaped aboard an enemy ship and captured it, earning special commendation.

洎蔡牽既滅，惟粵匪存，於是百齡為兩廣總督，乃斷接濟，整軍紀，越一年，剿撫以次定。 Once Cai Qian was destroyed, only Guangdong bandits remained. Governor-General Bailin cut off their supplies, tightened military discipline, and within a year settled the coast through a combination of force and negotiation.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 352Volume 352 Biographies 139: Jiang Cheng, Jin Guangti, Zu Zhiwang, Han Feng · 1 passage

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蔡牽方擾台灣，海疆多事，崶籌軍備杜接濟甚力，遷湖南布政使。 With Cai Qian's pirates troubling Taiwan and the coast in turmoil, he worked hard to ready defenses and cut off their supplies, and was made provincial treasurer of Hunan.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 359Volume 359 Biographies 146: Yue Qi, Jing Daoqian, Xie Qikun, Li Diantu, Zhang Shicheng, Wang Shaolan, Li Yichou, Qian Kai, He Shunwu · 9 passages

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治海盜三腳虎及蔡牽羽黨，請祀海洋陣亡官兵，緝匪死事者一體入祀，從之。 He suppressed the pirate Sanjiaohu and Cai Qian's followers, and asked that naval officers killed at sea be enshrined together with constables who died in bandit suppression; the throne approved.

十一年，蔡牽久未平，仁宗以台灣剿捕事殷，殿圖操守尚好，軍務未嫺，調江西巡撫。 In the eleventh year Cai Qian had still not been subdued. Because the Taiwan campaign was urgent, Emperor Renzong judged Diantu upright but unversed in military affairs and transferred him to Jiangxi.

時海盜蔡牽、硃濆方猖獗，總督玉德廢弛黜去，阿林保繼任，復與提督李長庚不協； Pirates Cai Qian and Zhu Fen were then at their height. Governor-general Yu De was removed for negligence. Alinbao succeeded him but again clashed with Provincial Military Commander Li Changgeng;

是年冬，長庚追蔡牽於粵洋，以傷殞。 That winter Changgeng pursued Cai Qian in Guangdong waters and died of his wounds.

牽犯台灣後山噶仔蘭，為生番擊退，請收其地入版籍，免為賊踞。 Cai Qian raided Kavalan on Taiwan's eastern coast and was driven off by aboriginal tribes; Shicheng asked that the territory be registered lest pirates occupy it.

十三年，硃濆與牽有隙，獨竄閩洋，總兵許松年擊斃之。 In the thirteenth year Zhu Fen broke with Cai Qian, fled alone into Fujian waters, and was killed in action by regional commander Xu Songnian.

其弟渥，勢蹙思投首，會道員德華由台灣內渡，遇牽黨圍劫，渥救之，藉以通款，尋复拒敵粵師不果降。 Zhu Fen's younger brother Wo, cornered and ready to surrender, happened to rescue Circuit Intendant Dehua when Dehua was crossing from Taiwan and was ambushed by Cai Qian's men. Wo used the encounter to open peace talks, but soon afterward he fought Guangdong forces again and never submitted.

聞蔡牽竄浙洋，親駐廈門，提督王得祿、邱良功合剿，毀盜舟，牽墮海死。 When he learned that Cai Qian had fled into Zhejiang waters, he took personal command at Xiamen. Admirals Wang Delu and Qiu Lianggong joined the campaign, destroyed the pirate fleet, and Cai Qian fell into the sea and drowned.

擢興泉永道，捕獲蔡牽養子蔡三及其黨蔡昌等，予議敘。 He was promoted to intendant of the Xingquan Yong circuit, captured Cai Qian's adopted son Cai San and his follower Cai Chang among others, and received a merit citation.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 362Volume 362 Biographies 149: Fang Ji, Zhu Erhan, Yang Hu, Liao Yin, Chen Changqi, Zhu Ergenge, Cha Chonghua · 2 passages

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時海寇蔡牽肆擾，昌齊修戰艦，簡軍伍，募人出海繪浙、閩海洋全圖，纖悉備具。 The pirate Cai Qian was then terrorizing the coast. Changqi refitted warships, culled the ranks, and hired men to sail out and chart the full coastline of Zhejiang and Fujian in meticulous detail.

嘉慶十四年，海盜蔡牽平，以功賜花翎。 In Jiaqing 14 the pirate Cai Qian was pacified, and Chonghua received the peacock feather for his service.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 364Volume 364 Biographies 151: Ruan Yuan, Wang Tingzhen, Tang Jinzhao · 6 passages

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浙洋漸清，而餘盜為蔡牽所並，閩師不能制，勢益熾，复時犯浙。 Zhejiang waters grew calmer, but remnants were absorbed by Cai Qian; Fujian troops could not contain him, his power swelled, and he again raided Zhejiang.

李長庚巳擢提督，元集貲與造霆船成，配巨砲，數破牽於海上。 Li Changgeng had been promoted to provincial commander; Yuan raised funds to build "thunder" warships with heavy guns and repeatedly defeated Qian at sea.

偕總督玉德奏請以李長庚總督兩省水師，數逐蔡牽幾獲，而玉德遇事仍掣肘。 With Governor Yu De he asked that Li Changgeng command both provinces' fleets; Li several times nearly took Cai Qian, but Yu De still obstructed him.

秋，蔡牽、硃濆合犯定海，親駐寧波督三鎮擊走之，牽复遁閩洋。 That autumn Cai Qian and Zhu Fen jointly attacked Dinghai; he personally stationed at Ningbo to direct the three commands in driving them off, and Qian fled again to Fujian waters.

時用長庚部將王得祿、邱良功為兩省提督，協力勦賊，元議海戰分兵隔賊船之策，專攻蔡牽。 Wang Delu and Qiu Lianggong, former subordinates of Changgeng, were made commanders of the two provinces and cooperated against the pirates; Yuan urged dividing forces at sea to cut off enemy ships and focus on Cai Qian.

十四年秋，合擊於漁山外洋，竟殄牽，詳得祿等傳。 In autumn of year 14 they united in battle off Yushan in the open sea and finally destroyed Qian; details appear in the biographies of Delu and others.