Chinese Triads

A deadly debt in Shanghai: Lao Che hires Indy, then tries to kill him.

In the opening sequence of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, set in 1935, American archaeologist Indiana Jones faces a lethal threat from Shanghai Triad crime boss Lao Che. Lao Che hires Indy to find the ashes of Nurhaci, promising him a valuable diamond in return, and then tries to have him killed. The confrontation takes place in Club Obi-Wan, where Lao Che employs his sons, Chen and Kao Kan, to eliminate the archaeologist. This encounter forces Indy to flee the city with his young sidekick Short Round and nightclub singer Willie Scott, unaware that the plane they board is owned by Lao Che, setting the stage for a chaotic escape.

Quick Facts

Primary region: Shanghai

Lore & Background

Unlike the Thuggee cult encountered later in India, this group's role is confined entirely to the film's beginning. Their primary interaction involves hiring Indy to recover cremated ashes of an ancestor, which are described as the remains of Nurhaci. When the deal goes sour, Lao Che does not hesitate to order his sons, Chen (played by Chua Kah Joo) and Kao Kan (played by Ric Young), to carry out a murder attempt. The conflict is personal and immediate, driving Indy, Willie, and Short Round to escape Shanghai on a plane that belongs to the gang itself.

Reader's Guide

The Shanghai Triad's role in Temple of Doom is limited to the opening act. They serve as the catalyst for the journey to India but do not appear again after the plane crash. Key figures include Lao Che, the leader; his sons Chen and Kao Kan; and Wu Han (played by David Yip), a friend of Indy who works at Club Obi-Wan and is killed during the chaos. The club itself is named 'Club Obi-Wan,' a nod to Star Wars. The gang's involvement ends once the plane's pilots dump the fuel and parachute away, and the story moves on to India.

Did You Know?

The plane used by Lao Che's men to transport Indy, Willie, and Short Round was owned by Lao Che himself.
Lao Che's sons, Chen and Kao Kan, were directly involved in the murder attempt against Indiana Jones.