The Chinese Triad

The Triad Society is an ancient mysterious secret society of China. In order to be a part of this society the candidate was taken to a dark room by two members to kneel before the president. He was given a live rooster and a knife and took an oath to assist his brethren in any emergency, even at the peril of his life. He then cut off the head of the rooster, combined its blood with his own, and the three assisting individuals added some of their own blood.

After being warned that death is the punishment should he reveal the secrets of the society, he was initiated and given the triad signs of recognition. For example, a member had to lift any object with three fingers only. This society, originally philanthropic, later became political.

Various Triad societies were revived in Hong Kong to manage criminal extortion and protection rackets. Cinema protection was a specialty of these gangs and usually involved Triad members being employed as ushers, ticket-sellers, or sub-managers.

Financial operations involve magic numerals, symbolic of the particular Triad society. For example, protection money may be demanded in sums relating to the figure 8, the lower half of the Chinese character Hung, used by some Triad societies. The numeral 3 denotes heaven, earth, and man. The word Triad originally was used as a divine symbol.

In the 1970s, the Triad racketeering operations in Hong Kong resulted in the publication of a police manual, Triad Societies of Hong Kong, restricted to police personnel. In 1976, the Triad societies spread their operations to Britain, where cities like Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Southampton, Manchester, and London with large Chinese populations could be victimized. Triad protection scams even operate in the West End cinemas and clubs of London, where ferocious fights have been reported involving meat cleavers.

The Triad has extended its muscle into the United States in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and any other with strong Chinese populations. The Triad is treated like any other crime organization such as the Outfit, Italian Mafia or the Russian Mafia. It seems that this group has ridden itself of the true values of the society and became a hedonistic organization.