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Mak Sai Ying

1796 – 1880

Chinese settler of Australia

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About Mak Sai Ying

Lived 1796 – 1880 (aged 83–84).

John Pong Shying (; b. ca. 1796, Canton, China) was the first known Chinese born settler to Australia, arriving in 1818 (date and place of death is actually unknown - the quoted date is that of John Sheen whose DNA has been shown to be different. Descendants are still trying to place his movements after 1844). He was known by many names, including Mak Sai Ying 麥世英, Mak Sai Pang 麥世鹏, Mai Shi Ying 麦世英, Mark Opong 麦阿鹏, and (reputedly but contrary to DNA evidence) also John Sheen.

Arriving via the Laurel in February 1818, he landed at Port Jackson.

He worked as a carpenter, living with John Blaxland on his Newington Estate. After three years, he worked at Elizabeth Farm for Elizabeth Macarthur, the pastoralist.

He married Sarah Jane Thompson (birth: about 1802, United Kingdom death: 27 March 1836, Parramatta) on 3 February 1823 in St John's Church of England, Parramatta. They had four sons: John James Shying (1823–1885), George Hugh Shying (1826–1893), James Henry Shying (1828–1891), Thomas Jones Shying (1830–1894).

It is believed a linen press, made for Elizabeth MacArthur (in 1824), still exists, and is on display at Milton House museum. The item may have been made without nails. The bookkeepers entry of payment still exists.

Shying returned to China for five years, from 1831 to 1836. He may have worked as a port liaison. He returned to Sydney, on the death of his first wife. The First Opium War began two years later. During this time, land he negotiated for from the NSW Colony had been allocated elsewhere. Sarah had a letter from the Attorney General of NSW explaining why the land had been re allocated.

He married Bridget Gillorley on 10 October 1842, but she died some six months later.

He is known to have negotiated a sale of the Peacock Inn in Parramatta, New South Wales (a western suburb of Sydney) in 1844. He had been the builder.

His grandson, John Joseph Shying, was possibly the first Chinese-Australian to serve in the Australian army.

Although previously assumed that John died on 18 June 1880, Sydney, Australia, in the name John Sheen, the comparison of DNA of descendants of that man and those descended from John Shying indicate them to have been different individuals.

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Important facts

Born
1796, Guangzhou
Birth century
Also known as
Mark Opong, Mak Sai Pang

People in Mak Sai Ying's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mak Sai Ying's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mak Sai Ying?

Chinese settler of Australia

When was Mak Sai Ying born?

Mak Sai Ying was born in 1796 in Guangzhou.

When did Mak Sai Ying die?

Mak Sai Ying died on 18 June 1880.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mak Sai Ying

· Wikidata: Q11175420

· DBpedia: John Shying

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mak Sai Ying. https://biography.guide/mak-sai-ying/

MLA: "Mak Sai Ying." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mak-sai-ying/.

Chicago: "Mak Sai Ying." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mak-sai-ying/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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