Abstract: The combination of the pursuit of economic gain by impoverishd fishermen’s and social change led to the rise and fall of piracy in Guangdong province. The downfall of the Tayson regime in Viet Nam, which had provided support for the pirates, was the turning point in the history of Guangdong piracy. After Tayson’s failure, Guangdong pirates formed a powerful alliance on their own, and dominated trade and shipping along the entire Guangdong coast. The Qing government was powerless to intervene, and piracy greatly endangered the coastal population. Ultimately, the interaction of external and internal factors caused the surrender and extermination of the pirates.