Triad societies originated in 17th century China when the Hung Mun came together in an attempt to overthrow the Qing dynasty in an unsuccessful bid to restore the Ming dynasty. Members were expected to regard each other as blood brothers, which is perhaps why they have become known colloquially as the Chinese mafia. There was a clear hierarchical structure within the group, initiation ceremonies and certain codes of conduct. In 19th century Hong Kong, members were frequently imprisoned under British law. By the 20th century, the Hung Mun had begun to break up into smaller gangs, based all over China. In 1949, the Chinese Communist Party came to power, prompting many gangs to flee to Hong Kong, as well as Macau,Taiwan and further overseas. Hong Kong soon became regarded as the triad capital, according to by T. Wing Lo and Sharon Ingrid Kwok. In the 1960s, there were some 60 triad gangs in Hong Kong, with one in six people said to belong to one, according to police. Drug trafficking has traditionally been a significant source of income for gangs, with opium, heroin and cocaine all being traded.
