Triad (organised crime)
Chinese transnational organised crime syndicate with historical roots in secret societies.
A triad is a Chinese transnational organized crime network based in Greater China, with branches in countries that have large overseas Chinese communities. These groups trace their roots to secret societies of the 18th and 19th centuries, some of which were shaped by White Lotus groups from the 1300s, and were originally formed to overthrow the Manchu-led Qing dynasty. During the early 1900s, the Nationalist government used triads to target political opponents, including through assassinations. After the People's Republic of China was established and the Chinese Communist Party cracked down on them, triads moved their operations to Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas Chinese communities. Following the Reform and Opening Up era, triads and similar criminal organizations resurfaced in mainland China. In recent times, there have been widespread reports of ties between triads and the Chinese government.
- field
- Transnational organised crime
- nationality
- Chinese (Greater China)
- known_for
- Criminal syndicate with origins in anti-Qing secret societies; involvement in drug trafficking, extortion, and political violence
- origins
- 18th and 19th centuries, influenced by 14th-century White Lotus societies
- active_regions
- Greater China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, United States
Lore & Background
The triads originated from secret societies formed in the 18th and 19th centuries, some influenced by White Lotus societies of the 14th century, with the intent of overthrowing the minority Manchu-ruling Qing dynasty. The generic use of the word 'triads' for all Chinese criminal organisations is imprecise; triad groups are geographically, ethnically, culturally, and structurally unique. 'Triads' are traditional organised-crime groups originating from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Criminal organisations operating in, or originating from, mainland China are 'mainland Chinese criminal groups' or 'black societies'.
Reader's Guide
The triads began as part of an organised patriotic movement to overthrow ethnic Manchu Qing rule, which was considered tyrannical and foreign to the Han ethnic majority. At the turn of the 19th century, Chinese triads were involved in revolutionary and underground activities designed to subvert the ailing Qing. Secret societies in the Qing Dynasty era were synonymous with patriotism, with groups operating under the banner of 'Oppose the Qing and Restore the Ming dynasty'. Triads were also enlisted by the Kuomintang during the Republican era in order to assassinate political opponents and attack political enemies. As a result, most traditional Chinese secret societies, including the triads, relocated to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and overseas countries. Gradually, Chinese secret societies turned to the illegal drug trade and extortion for income. In modern times, triads have been widely reported to have connections to the government of the People's Republic of China.
Did You Know?
- According to the Oxford English Dictionary, 'triad' is a translation of the Chinese term San He Hui, referring to the union of heaven, earth, and humanity.
- At the end of the 19th century, at least one-third of Hong Kong Chinese were estimated to be part of the triads.
- In the early 1980s, the Chinese Communist Party Deputy Committee Secretary of Xinhua News Agency, Wong Man-fong, negotiated with Hong Kong-based triads on behalf of the government of People's Republic of China to ensure
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