Chen Tianbao

Chen Tianbao (Chinese: 陳添保; Wade–Giles: Ch'en T'ien-pao; Vietnamese: Trần Thiên Bảo[1]) was a fisherman who became a powerful Chinese pirate operating from Guangdong and throughout the South China Sea in the late 18th century.

Chen was born to a fisherman's family in Lianzhou, Guangdong (modern Hepu County, Guangxi).

From 1788 to 1799, he ordered his four subordinates, Mo Guanfu, Zheng Qi, Liang Wengeng (梁文庚) and Fan Wencai (樊文才), all Chinese pirates, to launch frequent attacks on the southern coast of Qing China.

[citation needed] Chen also played an important role during the civil war between Tay Son and the Nguyen lords.

After the Tay Son army was utterly beaten by the Nguyen lords in 1801, he fled to Guangdong and surrendered to Qing China.