Historically Chinese gang organizations, such as the Hongmen and Qingbang, have had a profound and complex impact on society, although mysterious.
Hongmen, which originated from the Heaven and Earth Society that opposed the Qing Dynasty and restored the Ming Dynasty, is known for its brotherhood and religious color; The Green Gang, which originated in the Caoyun business in the south of the Yangtze River, formed a close master-apprentice relationship through apprenticeship.
These two gangs have produced many celebrities in different historical periods and exerted great political and social influence, however, their rise and fall is not only the story of the gang itself, but also a microcosm of China's social change and historical development.
The origin and development of Hongmen
Hongmen, also known as the Tiandihui, is a highly influential secret gang in Chinese history, whose origins can be traced back to the turbulent years of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.
At that time, the Ming Dynasty fell and the Qing Dynasty was established, and many remnants of the Ming Dynasty were full of antipathy to the Manchu rule and secretly formed associations to oppose the Qing Dynasty rule and hope to restore the Ming Dynasty. It was in this context that Hongmen was born.
During that turbulent era, many anti-Qing fighters secretly met in the mountains and forests, formed alliances with each other, and swore allegiance to the Ming Dynasty.
Often at nightfall, they lit bonfires, sat around in secret ceremonies, and vowed to fight for the overthrow and restoration of the Qing dynasty.
One of the founders of Hongmen, Chen Jinnan, was revered as the "Patriarch of Hongmen" by later generations.
Legend has it that Chen Jinnan was a strong martial artist who was an anti-Qing warrior who operated around Fujian, recruited a wide range of like-minded people, and established the early organization of Hongmen, where Chen Jinnan led his followers to establish secret bases in the mountains and forests, conduct military training, and prepare to launch an uprising at any time.
Over time, Hongmen gradually grew and expanded, not just in Fujian, but also in all parts of the country.
The members of the Hongmen are all over the country, they identify and contact each other through secret rituals and symbols, the organizational structure of the Hongmen is very tight, there are strict hierarchies and rules among the members, and new members need to go through strict tests and rituals when they join the association, swear allegiance to the Hongmen, and abide by the gang rules.
In the early years of Qing rule, Hongmen's anti-Qing activities were very active, and many Hongmen members participated in various anti-Qing uprisings, such as the rebellion of the three feudatories during the Kangxi reign and the Tiandihui uprising during the Yongzheng period.
Although these uprisings ultimately failed, Hongmen's influence continued to grow, and it became a major concern for the Qing rulers.
The Hongmen was not only an anti-Qing and anti-Ming organization, but over time, it gradually evolved into a vast social network, and the members of the Hongmen not only rebelled politically, but also supported each other in social life, forming a huge underground network.
The organizational structure of the Hongmen allowed it to expand rapidly, attracting a large number of low-level people and anti-Qing aspirants to join.
Hongmen has a unique way of inheritance with strong religious overtones, and when new members join the association, they need to go through a series of complex rituals, including worshipping the ancestors, swearing allegiance, and worshipping each other.
These ceremonies not only strengthened the cohesion among the members, but also gave the Hongmen a mystical religious atmosphere, and the members of the Hongmen called each other brothers, paid attention to seniority and contributions, and formed a network of associations that developed horizontally.
Hongmen's influence was not limited to Chinese mainland, but also overseas, and during the Qing Dynasty, a large number of Chinese emigrated overseas, and Hongmen's organization also expanded to Southeast Asia and the Americas.
Overseas Hongmen members continue to maintain ties with the domestic Hongmen, and they support each other in foreign countries, forming a large network of Chinese communities, and Hongmen has played an important role in the overseas Chinese society, safeguarding the rights and interests of the Chinese.
In modern Chinese history, the influence of the Hongmen was particularly prominent, and during the Xinhai Revolution, members of the Hongmen made important contributions to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China.
As an important member of the Hongmen, Sun Yat-sen used the network and resources of the Hongmen to raise funds for the revolution and organize an armed uprising.
Hongmen members spread throughout the country and played an important role in the success of the Xinhai Revolution.
The inheritance and influence of Hongmen are not only reflected in the political and social aspects, but also leave a deep imprint on culture and religion, the rituals and symbols of Hongmen have a strong religious color, and its organizational structure and inheritance methods have had an important impact on traditional Chinese culture and religion.
The story of Hongmen has been widely praised by later generations and has become part of Chinese folk culture.
The origin and development of the Green Gang
The Green Gang, originally known as the Cao Gang, originated from the Cao Yun business in Jiangnan. Cao Yun was one of the important economic lifelines of ancient China, responsible for transporting grain and supplies from the south to the north by water.
The prosperous Cao Yun business in Jiangnan attracted a large number of shipwrights and merchants, and in order to protect their own interests, these shipwrights and merchants gradually formed a gang organization called the Cao Gang.
The origins of the Cao Gang can be traced back to the middle of the Ming Dynasty, when Cao Yun was an important economic activity in the Jiangnan region, and many shipwrights and merchants relied on Cao Yun to make a living.
However, the trade was fraught with risks, with shipwrights and merchants often facing attacks by thieves and government exploitation, and in order to protect themselves, the members of the gang gradually formed alliances to support each other against external threats.
The members of the Cao Gang are mainly boatmen and merchants engaged in Cao transportation, and they maintain internal relationships through apprenticeship, and the Cao Gang has a unique way of inheritance, and new members need to submit a "red post" when they join the association, and hold a ceremony to place incense halls.
This structure of vertical development makes the relationship within the Cao Gang closer, and the relationship between master and apprentice is like that between father and son, and the members of the Cao Gang are commensurate with master and apprentice, respecting the teacher, forming a hierarchical organizational system.
During the Qing Dynasty, the development of the Cao Gang reached its peak, and the Cao Gang not only had a wide influence in the Jiangnan region, but also gradually expanded to all parts of the country.
The members of the Cao Gang amassed a lot of wealth through the Cao Yun business, and gradually got involved in other industries, forming a huge chamber of commerce.
However, with the control and suppression of the Cao Yun business by the Qing rulers, the Cao Gang had to change its name to "Anqing" in response to the suppression of the imperial court.
Despite the repression of the Qing rulers, the Qing Gang did not decline, but continued to grow in the Jiangnan region, and its members amassed a great deal of wealth through the Cao Yun business, and gradually became involved in other industries, forming a large organization of chambers of commerce.
The influence of the Green Gang is not limited to the economic field, but also gradually extends to the political and social levels, becoming an important social force in modern Chinese history.
Membership members are required to submit "red posts" and hold a ceremony to place incense halls, and this vertical development structure makes the relationship within the Qinggang closer, and the relationship between master and apprentice is like that of father and son.
The members of the Green Gang are commensurate with their mentors and apprentices, respecting their teachers and forming a hierarchical organizational system.
The influence of the Green Gang was not limited to the Jiangnan region, but gradually spread to all parts of the country, and the members of the Green Gang accumulated a lot of wealth through the Cao Yun business, and gradually got involved in other industries, forming a huge chamber of commerce.
The influence of the Qinggang was not limited to the economic field, but gradually extended to the political and social levels, becoming an important social force in modern Chinese history.
In China's modern history, the influence of the Green Gang is particularly prominent, and the development of the Green Gang reached its peak during the Republic of China.
Huang Jinrong, Du Yuesheng and Zhang Xiaolin controlled the underworld forces and economic lifeline of Shanghai Tang through the network and power of the Green Gang.
The Green Gang not only had great influence in the business and underworld circles, but also established close relations with the Kuomintang government, and Du Yuesheng became Chiang Kai-shek's protégé through apprenticeship, providing a lot of money and support for the Kuomintang government.
Although the Green Gang played an important role in recent history, its fate eventually changed dramatically with the vicissitudes of history.
With the victory of the Liberation War and the founding of New China, the power of the Green Gang quickly collapsed, Huang Jinrong was arrested on the eve of the liberation of Shanghai, Du Yuesheng fled to Hong Kong, and Zhang Xiaolin was assassinated.
The power of the Green Gang gradually disappeared under the blow of New China, many members of the Green Gang were arrested or went into exile overseas, and the glorious history of the Green Gang gradually faded with the changes of the times.
The contrast between Hongmen and the Green Gang
The Hongmen and the Qingbang have played different roles in Chinese history, and although they both have deep historical roots and extensive social influence, there are obvious differences in their organizational structure, inheritance methods, and development paths.
As a secret gang with strong religious overtones, the Hongmen mainly maintain the relationship between its members through brotherhood and common beliefs.
The organizational structure of Hongmen is loose, and the members are called brothers and sisters, paying attention to seniority and contribution, forming a network of clubs with horizontal development.
The Green Gang is more like a chamber of commerce based on the Caoyun business, maintaining internal relationships through apprenticeship.
The inheritance method of the Green Gang is more strict and mysterious, new members need to submit a "red post" when they join the club, and hold a ceremony to put incense halls, the organizational structure of the Green Gang is more rigorous, and the members are commensurate with each other as masters and apprentices, respecting teachers and respecting the way, forming a hierarchical organizational system.
Both the Hongmen and the Qinggang have played an important role in China's modern history, but their fates have ultimately fallen short of history.
The Hongmen made important contributions to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China during the Xinhai Revolution, while the Qinggang became an important force in Shanghai during the Republic of China by controlling the underworld and business forces.
However, with the founding of the People's Republic of China, the power of the Hongmen and the Qinggang quickly collapsed, many members were arrested or went into exile, and their glorious history gradually faded.
Still, the story of Hongmen and the Qingbang remains a unique and complex chapter in Chinese history.
The origin and development of these two gangs not only reflects the turmoil and changes in Chinese society, but also reveals the power of self-protection and self-organization of the people at the bottom of the society in difficult situations.
The rise and fall of the Hongmen and the Qinggang is a legendary story worth remembering in Chinese history.
The Hongmen and the Qinggang left a strong mark in China's modern history, and the Hongmen's anti-Qing and Mingming spirit and the business network of the Qinggang were once all the rage and had a far-reaching influence.
However, with the changes of history and the founding of New China, these gangs gradually lost the soil for their existence, and eventually disintegrated and disappeared.
The story of Hongmen and the Qingbang not only reveals the self-protection and self-organization power of the people at the bottom of Chinese society in their predicament, but also reflects the inevitable law of social progress and historical development.
Their rise and fall has become a unique and complex chapter in Chinese history, which is worthy of being remembered and reflected on by future generations. What do you think differently about this?