Triads & Tongs

When we talk about Chinese(-American) organized crime, we often refer to Chinese criminal organizations as “tongs” or “triads”. Such as in various western crime dramas like Year of the Dragon (1985) or Oldboy (2013) and also Hong Kong gang flicks such as Infernal Affairs (2002), John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow (1986), Election (2005), and Johnny To’s Drug War (2012).

Contrary to popular belief, triads and tongs are distinct types of organizations. Tongs are benevolent organizations that played a central role in settling Chinese immigrants in the 19th century. “Triad” has become a catch-all term for criminal organizations native to China after the British collectively regarded all secret societies in Hong Kong as criminal elements and named them “triads”. But both are distinct from each other. Whereas tongs are benevolent organizations or secret societies established in the west, triads are secret societies (some more criminally active than others) established in China and — until the 1980’s — exclusive to China.

Tony Cheuk is an animator and filmmaker making Super Wok Explosion, a unique animated web-series about Chinese organized crime. On this website, you can find articles about Asian organized crime, Chinese tongs and triads. You can also learn about the universe of the series. If you have an interest in organized crime and would like to learn more about the project, click here!