China / Taiwan: Detail of a battle between wokou pirates and Ming Dynasty forces from the scroll painting 'Ming Qiu Shizhou Taiwan zoukai tu' (Victory in Taiwan by Qiu Shizhou of the Ming), Qiu Ying (1494-c.1559)

In the waning years of the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), wokou (Japanese pirates) raided the coastal provinces of eastern China with increasing regularity. Despite suffering defeat in Shandong in 1363, raiding parties continued, pushing even farther south along the coast to Fujian Province.

The scroll in its entirety shows a party of Japanese pirates landing in a coastal community, scouting and raiding local residences, the flight of refugees, and the response of Ming troops who defend the area in a pitched battle on the water.

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