Cheng Zhi-Long in Taiwan 鄭芝龍在台灣

Chinese junks 戎克船

It is interesting, actually disturbing, to see the history of Taiwan constantly being re-written to cater to political needs. Some now claim 鄭芝龍Cheng Zhi-Long, Koxinga's father, had never set foot in Taiwan; therefore, Koxinga's staking a claim of his father's land in his communication with Coyet was illegitimate.

However, it is known that in his youth, Cheng was recruited by the Dutch and worked at Ft Zeelandia as a linguist specializing in Portuguese. During his stay, he apparently learned how the Dutch ruled over the Han and the Aborigines, administered the colony, and how they managed their privateering enterprise, especially in dealing with Min pirates. He then left Taiwan, reportedly without a formal resignation, to take upon the ocean-faring trade, in part imitating the Dutch East India Co ways, soon to command a fleet of 400 junks that sailed up and down the Western Pacific Ocean, from Japan, China, to SE Asia.

Source: Tonio Andrade, "Lost Colony", Princeton Univ Press (2011), pp 26-28