A Transcultural Beginning in Japan

The story of Zheng Chenggong, better known as Koxinga, begins with an unusual cross-cultural heritage that would shape his extraordinary destiny. Born on July 14, 1624, in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, the future Ming loyalist entered the world as the son of Chinese merchant-pirate Zheng Zhilong and his Japanese wife Tagawa Matsu (known in Chinese records as Weng Shi). This bicultural upbringing during his first seven years in Japan gave young Zheng Chenggong – then called Zheng Sen – a unique perspective that few Chinese military leaders of his era possessed.

The turbulent early 17th century maritime world that formed his father’s career would profoundly influence Zheng’s later strategies. Zheng Zhilong had risen from humble origins to command a formidable private naval force that dominated East Asian waters, eventually becoming an admiral for the Ming dynasty. This combination of maritime power and official legitimacy would become the model for his son’s later career.

The Making of a Ming Scholar-Warrior

At age seven, Zheng Sen was brought to Fujian’s Anping town, where his father arranged for elite Confucian education – a typical path for sons of military families seeking social advancement. Historical records suggest he became an exceptionally bright student, passing the county-level imperial examinations in 1638 to become a government-supported scholar at age fourteen. His intellectual circle included promising young scholars like Zhang Ruo of Huian County and Yang Yuliang from Jinjiang.

The young scholar’s privileged background became evident during his 1642 provincial examination attempt. With his father now a powerful military commander, Zheng Sen received special treatment that provoked the ire of examination officials. Education Commissioner Guo Zhiqi deliberately failed him, beginning Zheng’s disillusionment with the examination system that would culminate in his dramatic rejection of scholar’s robes years later.

The Turning Point: Service to the Southern Ming

The collapse of Beijing to rebel forces in 1644 and subsequent Manchu invasion created chaos that would transform Zheng Sen’s life. When the Longwu Emperor (Zhu Yujian) established a Southern Ming regime in Fujian in 1645, Zheng Zhilong became a key supporter. During an audience, the emperor was so impressed by the 21-year-old Zheng Sen’s demeanor that he bestowed the imperial surname Zhu and the new name “Chenggong” (meaning “success”), along with privileges equivalent to a royal son-in-law. This marked his transformation into the figure history would remember as Koxinga (“Lord of the Imperial Surname”).

Contrary to later accounts that portray Koxinga as suddenly transforming from scholar to general, records from the Longwu regime’s archives reveal his gradual military development. By early 1646, he was already leading troops through strategic passes and coordinating with other Ming loyalist commanders. These experiences, though ultimately unable to prevent the Qing conquest of Fujian, provided crucial training for his future campaigns.

The Path of Resistance

The Qing occupation of Fujian in late 1646 created the defining crisis of Koxinga’s life. When his father Zheng Zhilong surrendered to the Qing, the 22-year-old Koxinga famously refused, declaring: “Fathers should teach their sons loyalty, not disloyalty.” His resolve hardened further when Qing troops sacked the Zheng family stronghold at Anping, leading to his Japanese mother’s suicide after alleged assault by soldiers.

This personal tragedy became the catalyst for Koxinga’s full commitment to armed resistance. Historical accounts describe his dramatic ritual at the Nan’an Confucian Temple, where he burned his scholar’s robes, vowing: “Once I was a student, now I am a subject without a sovereign. I respectfully return my Confucian garments.” Gathering a few dozen followers, he established a base on Jinmen and began building what would become one of East Asia’s most formidable naval forces.

Building a Maritime Power

Koxinga’s early military efforts in 1647-48 demonstrated both his determination and the challenges facing Ming loyalists. Coordinating with his uncle Zheng Hongkui (the “Dingguo Duke”), he launched attacks on Qing positions along the Fujian coast. Though initially limited to small-scale operations – like the failed assault on Haicheng where his vanguard commander Hong Zheng died – these campaigns allowed Koxinga to refine his tactics and attract more supporters.

What set Koxinga apart was his ability to merge different military traditions. From his father, he inherited sophisticated naval warfare techniques and an extensive trade network. From Ming military practice, he learned large-scale organization. From his Japanese heritage came an appreciation for disciplined infantry combat. This synthesis would prove devastatingly effective against both Qing forces and later, the Dutch in Taiwan.

The Legacy of a Complex Hero

Koxinga’s transformation from privileged scholar to relentless resistance leader represents one of early modern East Asia’s most remarkable personal journeys. His ability to maintain an independent maritime regime for over fifteen years against the powerful Qing dynasty demonstrated both strategic brilliance and the continuing appeal of Ming legitimacy among southern Chinese populations.

Modern evaluations of Koxinga vary widely across the region. In mainland China, he’s celebrated as a national hero who recovered Taiwan. In Taiwan, his complex legacy encompasses both founder and conqueror narratives. Japanese accounts emphasize his bicultural background, while Western histories often focus on his defeat of Dutch colonial forces. This multiplicity of interpretations reflects the extraordinary cross-cultural dimensions of his life and career – a Japanese-born, Chinese-educated leader who created a maritime empire resisting both the continental Qing dynasty and European colonial powers.

The story of how this bicultural youth became the legendary Koxinga remains one of the most compelling narratives of loyalty, adaptation and resistance in early modern Asian history. His ability to synthesize different cultural and military traditions created a unique model of maritime power that would influence East Asian geopolitics long after his death in 1662.