The Chinese Triads

Hi

I have searched for information in some of the websites and this what i got ...
hope it be good for you ....

Chinese Triads

18th July 1999

I am a triad member, but I do not mix with them. Right now I am alone, so I named myself 'righteous white dragon'. Any of you there in the world would like to join me can do so, however you need to prepare an all white cotton 'chang pow' to put on. If you refer to the Holy Bible, Revelation, you, plus me, have the mark on our hand. The middle finger that is pricked to squeeze the blood out, that injury point is the 'mark on the hand'. We need to wear all white linens as stated in the Bible.

Even though I don't mix with you, but because I am one of you, I will be able to influence you. As my words are commands, you brothers have to listen and obey. If you don't, the ONE at the mark on your forehead will punish you.

As we are chosen to lead the world, you need to cultivate yourself, turn over a new leaf and discard your old bad habits. Many of you are in money lending, gambling dens, brothels, horse-race bookie, living on earning from women etc. All these vices are to be curtailed. You have to do a decent job or business.

Those in Taiwan, you have to make sure the government does not cause trouble for China whereby inviting the Americans to attack China. Before that happens, you better remove that leader that causes trouble.

Those in Macau, you better close down the casinos, or else I have to close them down myself, whereby you will become crazy.

Self cultivation is my type of meditation. You can refer to my meditation articles in the website. If you want to have the seal on the mark on your forehead, you can join the 'Heavenly Way'. This group is every where, where there are Chinese. You can find them in America too.

I wish you brothers all the best.

24th April 2000 - The (left) book has all the regulations written and those who disobey will be punished by the 5 thunders. So you brothers, you better wake up!

or here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triads

and these are other information
Chinese Triads; An Update
By Steve Macko, ERRI Crime Analyst

Triad societies, with a tradition of secret lore and initiation rituals dating back to the 17th century, have long dominated the underworld of Chinese communities around the globe. Based on sworn brotherhood and built on kinship, triads have been involved in a wide range of criminal activities.

Reputed to be among the most dangerous of organized crime organizations, triads prey upon Chinese communities, employing fear and intimidation tactics more often than physical violence. The triads stock-in-trade is smuggling, drug trafficking, and control over local bus routes, fish and produce markets, and karaoke bars.

Mark Ford McNichol, a senior detective with Hong Kong's organized crime and triad bureau, says the groups share qualities with other so-called mafias, but there are differences as well.

McNichol said, "Triad societies occur anywhere there is a Chinese community. Historically, that has been the case for three-thousand years. However, when compared to other organized crime groups, for example the mafia and the Russian organized crime syndicates, they are much less violent, much more subtle in their methods of operation."

Police officials note tighter anti-crime laws have been responsible for a recent drop-off in the overall crime rate in Hong Kong. They believe triads have turned some of their attention north of the border, to southern China.

As in Russia, the birth of free enterprise and the disappearance of state control over daily life in China have nurtured more opportunities for organized crime. But that is where comparison with the Russian mafia ends.

Unlike their flashier Russian counterparts, Chinese triads prefer to do their work more quietly, sometimes using highly placed members in financial institutions or even government.

Former head of the Hong Kong police criminal intelligence bureau Stephen Vickers, now a managing director of the worldwide risk management firm Kroll Associates, says southern China is ripe for triad activity.

Vickers said, "I do not think they focus themselves geographically. I think they focus themselves almost by profit center, in business terms, which is probably the best way to describe them. And I would personally suspect that southern China and Hong Kong represent great sources of revenue. They make a lot of money from illegal smuggling from Hong Kong into China and have done so for many years. If this economic aspect continues, then these people will continue to make money."

Though triads do not generally represent tightly unified crime organizations, Mr. Vickers believes the larger chinese groups such as the "Sun Yee On" triad society, have grown increasingly more sophisticated, and are moving into bigger business ventures.

"From a multi-national's (multi-national corporation's) perspective, triad activity has not affected them greatly," Vickers said. "However, over the last three or four years we have seen a fairly-insidious rise in upper echelon triad activity, which has affected business. Specifically, we have seen leakages of key information, leakages of key tender documents and the like. And these activities can affect, particularly, foreign multi-nationals."

Police estimate there are as many as 50 triad societies in Hong Kong, the largest being the "Wo Sing Wo" and "14-K". While they have loose affiliations elsewhere in the world, Mr. Vickers does not express great concern.

Vickers said, "There is a huge amount of paranoia in the West that they are about to be invaded by hordes of triads from Hong Kong. That is not going to happen. Those people who are going to go -- have gone already. Many of the others could not go, for various immigration and other reasons. I think that people should be really clear and realize that that is not a major issue."

While law enforcement officials note the triads have key connections in the United States, particularly California and New York, and in such European capitals as Amsterdam and London, there is little prospect of the West being overrun by triad gangs.

(c) Copyright, EmergencyNet NEWS Service, 1997. All Rights Reserved. Redistribution without permission is prohibited by law.

The ERRI DAILY INTELLIGENCE REPORT is a subscription publication of the EmergencyNet NEWS Service, which is a part of the Chicago-based Emergency Response and Research Institute. This publication specializes in Security/ Terrorism/Intelligence/Military and National Security issues.

As I mentioned on another thread, Google!

www.google.com.

Chinese secret societies have a long, though mostly hidden, history. In modern times they are mostly associated with criminal activity, and are somewhat similar to the Mafia. Both originated as defense and mutual support organizations for people at the bottom of the power structure. Traditionally Chinese emperors were pretty much absolute rulers so long as they held the Mandate of Heaven. They exercised their power through a bureaucracy that at least theoretically was merit based. Anyone who could pass the rigorous examination system joined the Mandarin Class and went to preside over some part of the larger empire. The Mandarin Class were magistrates and tax collectors who were expected to spend most of their time in intellectual pursuits. Of course, they exploited their advantages and corruption was rampant. Chinese culture is strongly familial, and a family's fortune often rode on its ability to have as many sons as possible in the Mandarate.

Chinese history is perhaps best studied by looking at the dynastic cycle. Early rulers of a dynasty were ruthless warriors who seized power by consolidating forces and imposing their authority over as much of China as possible. These rulers were often crude men with little education or culture, but strong willed. They imposed order with a heavy hand and corruption was limited. Keep back too large a portion of taxes, and you could lose your head. Divert money from road or flood control projects and your whole family might be put to the sword. The early emperors during most dynasties kept very close tabs on things. As time went on, succeeding emperors became more complacent and devoted more of their time to enjoying the fruits of power. Corruption began to creep in, often by the third emperor in dynastic succession the wealth of the first rulers was reaching it's peak. The amount of corruption permitted increased as the emperor's attention was diverted to literature, art, hunting, women, etc., etc. A few more changes in the dynastic succession and corruption began to eat away all the wealth. Power shifted from the emperor to his court and to the Mandarate. By late dynastic times only a small portion of the taxes ever made it into the Imperial treasury, and the granaries became depleted. Money for roads and flood control was diverted into the purses of private families. Having little control over the Mandarate, the poor who made up the greatest portion of the populace bore ever greater burdens. Eventually, floods and/or famine broke out and sometimes millions died. The Imperial House might try to regain control, but the army would be increasingly under pressure by the rising power of warlords, or rebellious mobs. Eventually the army would desert the Imperial House, and chaos would reign over much of China. That's one dynastic cycle, and Chinese history is a succession of these cycles that are pretty much alike; time after time after time.

To the Chinese people when things were ordered and the kingdom was at peace, they understood that the emperor had the Mandate of Heaven. When things went wrong, it was a clear sign that the Mandate had been withdrawn and the People no longer were obligated to obey and follow the discredited dynasty. So as the dynastic cycle progressed, the People were put under increasing stress, and they were increasingly willing to believe that Heaven was ready to withdraw it's mandate from the ruling order.

Secret Societies were a constant among the people. They were almost totally submerged and powerless early in dynastic cycles when things were becoming more ordered and peace made the acquisition of wealth more likely. As things deteriorated as the dyanastic cycle progressed, the secret societies became stronger. Eventually, the secret societies became one of the major forces sapping the strength and authority of the dynasty. As the kingdom fell into chaos, the secret societies flourished and often the leaders became the warlords, the warriors who contended with one another to found the next dynasty. A very democratic system.

The term Triad refers to the three traditionally strongest of the secret societies. One, the White Lotus, is felt by some to be probably the strongest of those traditional societies. Membership might go back in a single family for five or six hundred years. Members would be mutually supporting and in a loose relationship with members in neighboring villages. During times of plenty, the societies became almost dormant. In times of oppression, famine, or flood, membership in one of the secret societies might mean the difference between life and death for a family. Docile while the reigning dynasty has evidently the Mandate, the secret societies might become violently militant whenever conditions began to persuade the populace that the Mandate was being withdrawn.

In more modern times, the secret societies, like the mafia, have turned more toward criminal activity. The secrecy and internal discipline of the societies make them dangerous, especially when they turn antisocial. Drug dealing and extortion are especially tempting targets for the modern versions of the Triads.

Hope that helped you understand a bit about the subject.

Thanks! This info has been great help to me. I have another question: Is it true that the Triads evolved from the group of surviving boxers from the Boxer Rebellion? This would help me further!

~drmichelle7

The so-called Boxer Rebellion came at the end of the 19th century as the Ching Dynasty was crumbling. The Imperial House utilized the Society of Harmonious Fists to redirect popular unrest toward the "occupying" European powers. The Society of Harmonisous Fists were very anti-Western and a number of Christian missionaries were slaughtered, and the Imperial Palace was surrounded. A relief force was dispatched and the Rebellion broken. U.S. Marines were sealifted from the Philippines and then by rail to T'ien-T'sien prior to the assault. The "Boxers" were no match for artillery and the combined Western military forces. The Western powers used the incident to wring further concessions from the Ching.

I think that you would be stretching it to claim that the "rebellion" had very much connection with the tradtional secret societies and their SOP. The Society of Harmonious Fists was a secret society, but one controlled by the Imperial House to some extent. The "rebellion" had little to do with the sort of behavior associated with the traditional societies, and everything to do with the frustration that the Chinese had against their loss of soveriegnty to big-nosed Western demons.

I would not be bothered with them.
One thing I can say is that you should be very careful about human relations, and about keeping secrets.

You should watch the hong kong movie Young and Dangerous

Awsome movie about the traids.

Young and Dangerous series about Chan Ho Nam and his fellows. The story follows them as they grow up, join the triad, fight, and either die or get promoted.

Or 'Infernal Affairs' Parts 1, 2, 3.
Excellent stuff!

Various active triads runnin' in london china town & otha places all over the UK, main boss playas would b
'Wo Shing Wo/SW'
'14K' &
'Sun Yee On'
but there are also minor gangs founded by little wanna b thugs (who probably watched Young & Dangerous films & thought the life of a triad is the way to live) these ones such as NXB, VOB, YD, these gangs founded by little children brainwashed about the triad life are beginning to grow, but will neva grw as big as the 3 main playas, but there are many more street gangs tryin to be known, walkin round wiv the double keychains wannab thug style, such a waste really, they are like 15 an wanna b a gangster, wot a wasted childhood.

Is there any other Triads that are in Hong Kong?
Im part of a Triad. The Dragon Girls. You can join different Traids to socialise with. But you have to be careful. iF YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE WRONG LOT.

iF THERE'S ANY qUESTION YOU WANT TO ASK me or send me the answer E-MAIL

[email protected]

U say your part of 'The Dragon Girls?' dats a nu gang 2 me, were bouts u frm cz i aint heard of this gang in london.
Pure Minors u knw, allow beggin aight, go home an leave the business 2 the big guyz

i 've heard that 1of my classmates was part of the triad in Australia...

at my school in Arcadia, LA, that's a gang called CHING WAI, there's lots of graffetis also

the real story
I was in the triads in San Francisco in the 1980's, and since then, our society has diminished due to the SF Gang Task Force that was created in the late 70's. I have no reason to hide my story any longer because the grips of the triads are no longer exists, for me at least.
In our "golden age," we were young, had strong will, and needed to belong as well as needing protection (mostly due to other kids beating us up). We dealed mostly in extortion, fireworks trade, some narcotics, firearms, and enforcing territories.
The movie Young & Dangerous is an okay potrayal of our HK counterparts. We didn't have the same ceremonies, but the associations were very similar.

I was a member of the Wo Shing Wo organisation. I operated in the jordan area in hong kong. Although i do miss being a part of them, in certain ways i am glad i left my past. When i first started brotherhood meant something, nowadays it is all about making money and getting to the top in any way possible.

money vs. brotherhood
Making money wasn't a major factor while I was young. We had grudges with other people in other groups, which drove a lot of the violence, including the Golden Dragon Massacre.

the main story
Hi, I'm starting this new novel and it's about a group Triads and I came upon this forum. Since I haven't been in the traids long; I need more personal info about them and the varieties that exist out there. I'm from Cali, US so it's a lot different from what I'm used to in HK. If you all would be kind and help me. It would be nice to have all the details in my book. I just hope it's even better than the movies they make about it, especially with our experience.
Thanks for actually having a forum on this.

Devil Child