Shi Lang was born in the first year of Tianqi (1621) and died in the 35th year of Kangxi (1696). In his early years, Shi Lang was a subordinate of Zheng Zhilong, and he followed Zheng Zhilong to the Qing Dynasty in the third year of Shunzhi (1646). Soon he joined Zheng Chenggong's anti-Qing righteous brigade and became Zheng Chenggong's right-hand assistant and an important general of Zheng's army in the Ming Dynasty. He also contributed strategies to help Zheng Chenggong kill his clan uncle (some say clan brother) to seize Xiamen, and also actively participated in the maritime uprising against the Qing Dynasty.
Zeng De, one of Zheng Chenggong’s men, once offended Shi Lang. Shi Lang killed Zeng De on an excuse, thus offending Zheng Chenggong. The severe Zheng Chenggong immediately killed Shi Lang’s family. Shi Lang escaped, and his father and brothers were killed. Due to the brutal killing of his relatives by Zheng Chenggong, Shi Lang surrendered to the Qing Dynasty again. Shi Lang served successively as deputy general, commander-in-chief, and naval admiral of the Qing Dynasty, and participated in the Qing army's attack on and recruitment of Zheng's army.
In the 22nd year of Kangxi (1683), Shi Lang led the Qing army to cross the sea and conquer Penghu in one fell swoop, and surrendered to the Zheng Dynasty in Taiwan. He also responded to the erroneous opinion expressed by some people within the Qing court at that time that "it is better to move people and abandon the place." Shangshu called on the Qing government to station troops in Taiwan and set up a government to manage it, and advocated retaining and guarding Taiwan.
Shi Langfu joined the Qing camp and led the army to conquer Taiwan for the second time, but encountered difficulties. Later, when he was transferred to Beijing as a minister, he was very poor and relied on his wife to work as a popular seamstress in Beijing to supplement his family needs. During this period, Zheng Chenggong died of illness in Taiwan, and Zheng Jing succeeded him as the king of Yanping County. During Zheng Jing's rule, the internal factional struggles in the Ming and Zheng Dynasties became increasingly fierce. In the name of supporting Zheng Jing's two sons, Ke Zang and Ke Shuang, the officials formed cliques and fought for power, and the state affairs became increasingly unstable.
In 1681, Zheng Jing died. After a bloody struggle, Zheng Keshuang, the youngest son of the late king, was succeeded to the throne by the powerful minister Feng Xifan. In July, Li Guangdi, a great scholar of the Qing Dynasty, wrote a letter that the conditions were ripe for attacking Taiwan and recommended Shi Lang. Emperor Kangxi adopted Li's advice and granted Shi Lang the title of Admiral of the Fujian Navy, with the title of Prince Shaobao, and ordered him to "take the initiative to make progress". Shi Lang then had to actively prepare for the attack on Taiwan. He was sixty-one years old at the time.
In 1682, Shi Lang wrote a letter to persuade Kangxi with the classic saying "Taiwan is the Great Wall on the sea, blocking the southeastern half of the mainland, and should not be abandoned lightly." Kangxi eliminated the opposition in the court and decided to attack Taiwan, ordering the Governor of Fujian Yao Qisheng " He was in charge of the troops and horses of the whole province of Fujian, and together with the admiral Shi Lang, he was advancing into Penghu and Taiwan." Wan Zhengse was appointed as the infantry admiral to lead 120,000 troops to station in Fujian, and he was in charge of the navy admiral General Shi Lang, all under the control of Yao Qisheng. In June 1683, Shi Lang commanded the Qing navy to win a great victory against the Zheng navy of the Ming Dynasty in the Penghu naval battle. Later, Zheng Keshuang obeyed the order of shaving his hair and led his subjects to surrender to the Qing Dynasty. Shi Lang was awarded the title of General Jinghai and Marquis of Jinghai for his meritorious service. When he died in the 35th year of Kangxi (1696), he was given the posthumous title of Xiangzhuang and the title of Young Master to the Crown Prince.
In 1683 (the 22nd year of Kangxi), Shi Lang led the army to attack Taiwan. After that, he actively called on the Qing government to station troops in Taiwan and advocated protecting Taiwan and consolidating its borders. He made outstanding contributions to the integrity of the motherland and was widely praised, but he was also criticized by some anti-Qing people. The evaluation of Shi Lang is a controversial issue in historians at home and abroad. The reason is mainly due to different historical perspectives.