有清一代，東南環海，萬里汪洋，舟船往來於其間，此為沿海民生利益之所在，其 中廣州港更有「金山珠海，天子南庫」之稱；由於清代海上貿易量增加，以劫掠商、漁 船為生的海盜也隨之滋長。清代學者藍鼎元提到：「在洋之盜，十犯九廣」，將中國東南 海疆洋氛大熾的矛頭，指向了廣東一省；又，嘉慶年間的兩廣總督那彥成，曾於奏摺中 云：「粵東（廣東）之患，莫大於洋盜。」可知清代乾嘉時期的「東南海事」多由海盜 所引起，而海盜又是多出自於位處邊陲，海疆遼闊，島嶼眾多的廣東省，再加上安南「西 山政權」（1771-1802）吸收中國海盜來籌措軍費的影響，更讓整個華南沿海的海盜動亂， 一發不可收拾。

China's southeast sea level which the coastal inhabitant's economical depended. When Qing Dynasty, the Guangzhou port has named as the emperor treasure house. Because the marine trade quantity had increased, pirates who lived by grabbing also developed along with it. Most pirates who made insurgencies in Qing Dynasty were came from the border of Guangdong. Moreover, Vietnam had recruited Chinese pirates to raise military expenses caused the insurgencies of China South sea got out of control.