Triad Groups: Tiandihui, 14k Triad, Snakehead, Black Dragons, Wo Shing Wo, Sun Yee On, Sio Sam Ong, Green Gang, Wo Hop To, Big Circle Gang  (English, Paperback, Llc Books, Llc Books)

Chapters: Tiandihui, 14k Triad, Snakehead, Black Dragons, Wo Shing Wo, Sun Yee On, Sio Sam Ong, Green Gang, Wo Hop To, Big Circle Gang, Four Seas, Bamboo Union, Shui Fong, Luen Group. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 41. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Tiandihui (Chinese: ; pinyin: tind?hu?; Yale Cantonese: tin1 dei6 wui2; Vietnamese: ; literally "Heaven and Earth Society") is a fraternal organization that originated in China. The Hongmen grouping is today more or less synonymous with the whole Tiandihui concept, although the title "Hongmen" is also claimed by some criminal groups. As the Tiandihui spread through different counties and provinces, it branched off into many groups and became known by many names, including the Hongmen (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: h?ngm?n; Yale Cantonese: hung4 mun4; literally "Hong Gate," "Vast Gate," or "floodgate") and Sanhehui (Chinese: ; pinyin: snh?hu?; Yale Cantonese: saam1 hap6 wui2, literally "Three Harmonies Society"). When the British ruled Hong Kong, all Chinese secret societies were seen as a criminal threat and together defined as "triads", although the Hongmen might be said to have differed in its nature from others. The name of the "Three Harmonies Society" (the "Sanhehui" grouping of the Tiandihui) is in fact the source of the term "Triad" that has become synonymous with Chinese organized crime. Because of that heritage, the Tiandihui/Hongmen is sometimes controversial and is illegal in Hong Kong. In the West, the Tiandihui/Hongmen has sometimes adopted the name "Chinese Freemasons", on the basis of the strong superficial parallels between the two; both have quasi-religious aspects, make use of esoteric symbolism, and include many factions. However, they have different ethical systems, different origins, ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=2005225