Tong (organization)

Hop Sing Tong Building, San Francisco Chinatown

A tong (Chinese: 堂; pinyin: táng; Jyutping: tong4; Cantonese Yale: tòhng; lit. 'hall')[1]: 53  is a type of organization found among Chinese immigrants predominantly living in the United States, with smaller numbers in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In Chinese, the word tong means "hall" or "gathering place". These organizations are described as secret societies or sworn brotherhoods and are often tied to criminal activity. In the 1990s, in most American Chinatowns, clearly marked tong halls could easily be found, many of which have had affiliations with Chinese organized crime.[2]

These associations often provide services for Chinatown communities such as immigrant counseling, Chinese schools, and English classes for adults.[1]: 48  Tongs follow the pattern of secret societies common to southern China and many are connected to a secret society called the Tiandihui, which follows this pattern. Other groups worldwide that follow this pattern and are connected with the Tiandihui are known as hui, Hongmen, and triads.[2]

  1. ^ a b Chin, Ko-lin. "Chinatowns and Tongs". In Chinese Subculture and Criminality: Non-Traditional Crime Groups in America. New York: Greenwood Press, 1990
  2. ^ a b Peter Huston. Tongs, Gangs, and Triads: Chinese Crime Groups in North America (1995) Paladin Press, Boulder CO