There are some kung fu people who proudly point out their
association to the “secret societies”, while many more are trying to connect their origin
and history to same “secret societies”, which is really sad and does a lot harm
to kung fu, historically and socially.
The term 'Triad' was given by the Hong Kong government to
Chinese secret societies based on the triangular symbol which once represented
such societies. The symbol is the Chinese character 'Hung,' encased in a
triangle, representing the union of heaven, earth, and man. So Triads even
today are sometimes referred to as the 'Hung Society' or the 'Heaven and Earth
Society.'
The purpose of these societies, it is said, was the
overthrow of the Qing empire and the restoration of the Ming. The character
'Hung,' in addition to meaning the most auspicious and lucky color 'red,' also
alludes to the founder of the Ming Dynasty, Hung Wu. On top of that
historically completely false claim and despite various crackdowns, triad
culture continues to be immortalized through films, artwork and video games
giving the completely wrong picture what these “secret societies” actually are.
From historical point of view there tries to find roots of
these organizations as far as 1000 BC but that is complete nonsense. Many
people , even historians from Fujian are trying to connect beginning of the
triads to Koshinga and middle 17th century but that is also complete
fabricated story and has foundation in reality.
Triads them self have
a rather “elaborate history: which is mostly based on myths. It involves not
only a struggle against the Qing dynasty, but a retreat to the Shaolin
monastery and the eventual famous burning of the monastery are an integral
part. Only five monks survived the fire, and these are said to be the 'Five
Ancestors' of modern triads. They go on to have a number of adventures which
are still remembered by triad officials and sometimes represented in initiation
rituals. Triad origin mythology holds that when they recruited thousands of
people to their cause, including Sun Yat-Sen, the Qing Dynasty was finally
defeated.
Historically speaking
fist mention of “secret societies” we can find in Qing dynasty official
documents after 1876. Historians take as the starting point of Triad history
the first appearance of “Heaven and Earth gathering”. First accounts of this
organization can be found during Lin Shuang Wen uprising in Taiwan 1786-1787.
All other sources about “Heaven and Earth” society are date after this time.
Qing soldiers defeated the rebels and capture a lot of written material such as
edict issued by rebel leadership, command notes and among other things a notes
of the “blood oath” from which today’s Triads blood oath originated.
So, what was the reason for forming “Heaven and Earth”
Society? Lin family was very wealthy. Li Shunwen’s father came to Taiwan in
1749, bought land from aboriginals and then brought the rest of his family. In
short time family became very rich and engage rice trades and loan business.
Since the government control of the island was very loose people were force to
organize them self in order to protect their lives, property and businesses.
Like many other people , Li family organized “Heaven and Earth” association and
Li Shuanwen became its leader. He got engaged with other similar organization and
some illegal business which came to point that government sought to arrest Li
Shuanwen. In order to avoid capture he sparked an uprising and for a year or so
he fought successfully but eventually he got captured and executed and Li
family also suffered serious consequences. As we
can see, there is no mention of anti Qing activities. Interestingly enough, 60
years later Li family will send their private militia to help Qing army to put
down Taiping rebellion.
After Li Shuan Wen’s and other leaders death, followers of
the uprising fled Taiwan and started to organize local Triad groups all over
China. Although Qing police forces tried to stop spreading of Triads and they
in deed captured and executed a large number of members every year Triads
couldn’t be stopped.
Because of the treasonous nature of their enterprise they
developed secret forms of communication and elaborate initiation ceremonies to
impress upon new members the need for absolute loyalty and secrecy. The rites
would take place at an altar with incense smoke and the sacrifice to the gods
of a domestic animal, such as a chicken or a goat. After drinking a potion
composed of wine and the blood of the animal or of the candidate, he would pass
beneath an arch of swords while reciting the following oath: “If a member of
this society finds himself in difficulty, all will rush to his aid. If I, as a
future member of this association, break this oath, the swords will descend and
kill me.” The oath-inscribed paper would be burned in the incense, on the
altar, to confirm the candidate’s duties to the gods. Signifying the name of
the association, three fingers of the left hand would be raised to the heavens
as a secret and binding gesture.
The reason why Triads were so widely spread was the
necessity of people to organize and help and protect themselves when government
was unable to do so as well as opportunity to ern enough for living without too
much effort. From the very beginning Triads were criminal enterprises engaged
in all sort of activities. Of course not all the members of these groups were
criminals, many joined for the benefit of being protected instead of regular “protection”(extortion)
these groups provided. Also, on local level these group always had good connection
with authorities and they could help their members in various ways. Besides “protection business” Triads
were involved in opium trade, smuggling, at the time organized immigration
overseas and settling people in Chinese communities in foreign countries.
By 1820’s Triad spread all over Fujian and Guangdong
provinces and were particularly strong among Cantonese and Hakka people.
After First Opium War much of the opium trade shifted to
Shanghai leaving Triads without business. At the same time British navy pushed
pirates inland and stopped their activities. Having no other source of business
Triads in 1840’s and 1850’s organized themself into gangs and openly robed
anyone and everyone making no difference between Manchus and domestic Han
people. Because their high mobility and geography of Guanxi and Hunan regions
these groups were hard to suppress.
At the beginning of Taiping rebellion many triad groups
supported the rebels but very soon they left the rebellion because they could
not follow strict discipline of Taiping army and their moral norms. There is
only ONE triad leader who actually joined and stayed withTaiping rebellion. Luo
Dagang became one of the generals of Taiping army. The rest of the Triads
groups used situation to continue their usual activities and some of them even
joined Qing in their fight against Taipings.
The only rebellion that Triad organized was occupying old
Shanghai in 1853 and many of the surrounding villages. Chinese gentry and
merchants took refuge in the British and French concessions, which were
regarded as the only safe places. The rebellion was suppressed and the society
expelled from Shanghai in February 1855. The Small Knife society was Triad
group organized by Triad leaders who came from Guangdong and their main
business was “protection” of Chinese merchants. They took the opportunity while
Taiping rebellion ravaged the county and occupied Chinese part of Shanghai.
Their rebellion had no political nor any long term goals, they simply looted
the city and terrorized local occupants until they were defeated and expelled
from the area.
Besides this event there are no records that Triads did
anything against Qing dynasty. Although Triad mythology claim that Sun Yat Sen
was member of Triads and they played part in taking down the Qing dynasty that
is actually not true, there are no historical evidence to support such claims.
After the establishment of the republic the Triad grew in
numbers dramatically. Political and social circumstances of the period were extremely
good for the development of triad activities. They no longer used cover of
antidynastic movement and openly present them self for what they really are.
After the end of civil war in China in 1949, communists simply
killed every Triad member they could find and successfully destroyed them. Many
escaped to Hong Kong and during early 1950’s statistics say that one in six people
in Hong Kong was a Triad member.
Today as in the past Triads base their activities on a
variety of crimes, from fraud, extortion and money laundering to trafficking
and prostitution, and are involved in smuggling and counterfeiting goods such
as music, video, software, clothes, watches and money.
There is nothing noble nor romantic about these crime
syndicates. People who are trying to trace their roots or are members of Triads
are nothing more than criminals. Kung Fu has historical connection to Triads.
Some triad member did practiced kung fu but also were army personal , police,
bodygurads, actors, merchants , doctors, sailors ect. If someone finds
connection to Triads somehow important , consider being a member of a crime
syndicate as some great achievement just think when next time someone die from
heroin or some child disappear to end up in child’s brothels or be butchered
for black organ market, a real life achievement isn’t it? And makes your Kung
Fu so much better and more original?
