Triad (organized crime)

A triad () is a Chinese transnational organized crime syndicate based in Greater China with outposts in various countries having significant Chinese diaspora populations. The Hong Kong triad is distinct from mainland Chinese criminal organizations. In ancient China, the triad was one of three major secret societies. It established branches in Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Chinese communities overseas. Known as "mainland Chinese criminal organizations", they are of two major types: “dark forces” (loosely-organized groups) ()and “Black Societies" () (more mature criminal organizations). Two features which distinguish a black society from ordinary "dark forces" or low-level criminal gangs are the extent to which the organization is able to control local markets and the degree of police protection able to be obtained. The Hong Kong triad refers to traditional criminal organizations operating in (or originating from) Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and south-east Asian countries and regions, while organized-crime groups in mainland China are known as "mainland Chinese criminal groups". Triads have long been alleged to have connections to the Chinese government. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "triad" is a translation of the Chinese term Sān Hé Huì 三合會 (Three United Association), referring to the union of heaven, earth, and humanity. Another theory posits that the word "triad" was coined by British officials in colonial Hong Kong as a reference to the triads' use of triangular imagery. This theory however is highly improbable as the word "Triad" had been used to describe secret society in China as early as 1826, well before the colony was even formed. It has been speculated that triad organizations took after, or were originally part of, revolutionary movements such as the White Lotus, the Taiping and Boxer Rebellions, and the Heaven and Earth Society. The generic use of the word "triads" for all Chinese criminal organizations is imprecise; triad groups are geographically, ethnically, culturally, and structurally unique.