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This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Mei001, MichaelSegura.
Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT ( talk) 11:29, 17 January 2022 (UTC)
I did an extensive rewrite of the piece and the history of the Tongs. I cited "Tongs, Gangs and Triads" as I am familiar with that work the best although I have read much elsewhere.
The piece as I rewrote it does focus mostly on the historical role of the tongs in the USA but if necessary people can expand it. Bobbee.girl ( talk) 00:26, 10 August 2010 (UTC)
This article should be split into one about the secret societies, and another for the snurnames. -- Yuje 16:32, Jun 16, 2005 (UTC)
Should "tong" and "triad" be capitalized in these articles? That seems wrong to me. - grant 15:56, 3 April 2006 (UTC)
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
And from my own research from when I was in college, tongs should be considered mutual protection first, organized criminal activity second, especially for the modern tongs. They aren't the mob, they don't flaunt the law as a part of their mission statement, but they do go astray. I've edited out as much of the bias as I can from the first paragraph, although I think we need a new title, I can't think of a good succinct one right now. "Tong (clandestine society)" doesn't work for me right now... hateless 18:51, 8 April 2006 (UTC)
Why does it say the tongs stopped really running their businesses? Chinese people have been immigrating to the U.S. for a long time and still are, and there is still tongs running Chinatowns all over the U.S. and Canada. There can be a lot written about the leaders of powerful tongs in San Francisco, New York, and Toronto.
Here in San Francisco, tongs are still around. But have pretty much gone from criminal organizations to philanthropic organzations and organizations assisting newly arriving Chinese immigrants.
I have changed the heading from 'Scottish Tongs' to 'Glasgow Tongs' as the Tongs only operate in the Glasgow area
_______________________________________________________________________________________ It should also be noted that Tongs are not simply "immigrant organizations." They have historically existed in China for several hundred years (the famed Boxers were a non-criminal tong). A good resource from the U.S. State Department: http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/Archive_Index/Chinese_Criminal_Enterprises.html
Can I suggest the Glasgow Tongs section should be split off into a separate entry as these teenage Glasgow street gangs have nothing to do with Chinese Tongs racially, historically, organisationally or socially - they just adopted the word 'Tongs' presumably because it sounded good. User:Thejohnfleming 10:11, 17 November 2007 (UTC)
Hmm. Having a bunch of knackers or neds or whatever you call them in Scotland, take the name of 'tongs' for their 'organizations' is just the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. How do they even deserve a Wikipedia article?? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 137.43.146.240 ( talk) 10:53, 25 January 2008 (UTC)
Why is the introduction to this article include it being a 'Chinese-American' establishment? It is not uniquely Chinese-American. Tongs are found all over the world where ever there is a significant Chinese community. Is the author of this article not that well informed or do I need to change it myself? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Si lapu lapu ( talk • contribs) 17:04, 24 January 2008 (UTC)
Could someone explain the source of the Roman spelling of these names? They are similar to modern spellings of Cantonese, but too far off for easy searching. [2] For example, Wo Hop To = 和合桃 = wo4 hap6 tou4; "Hop" also occurs in Hop Sing Tong. The List of Triad Societies, Criminally Influenced Tongs and Chinese Gangs is useful, but doesn't explain the romanization. Wnt ( talk) 06:13, 21 March 2008 (UTC)
I don't think Tongs are secret society, as their existence and whereabouts are not exactly hard to find. Maybe the criminal aspects of their operations are secret, but they do have community support elements. It is probably better characterized as fraternal organizations as noted in this State Department report. --16:17, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
Isn't this term also used in Canada ? And I remember seeing stuff about "tongs" in London at the end of the 19th century and opium dens, written by Brits. 76.66.200.21 ( talk) 01:27, 4 September 2009 (UTC)
Given the long and brutal history of criminal activity of the tongs, this article omits all mention of any criminal activity (except with the excuse of "it was legal in China but not here"). Where's the extortion, human trafficking, murder, drugs and prostitution? Where's the collusion with the railway companies to exploit Chinese immigrants? Why did they need "hatchet men" when apparently according to this article all they did was distribute candy and good cheer? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 142.145.13.34 ( talk) 18:57, 25 November 2011 (UTC)
I read this article, In Chinatown, Sound of the Future Is Mandarin, which says Chinese community everywhere are replaced by new comers from PRC. What is the relation between pro-PRC Chinese Americans and the pro-KMT organizations? 111.243.155.167 ( talk) 07:02, 11 March 2013 (UTC)
The opening states: one can find clearly marked tong halls, many of which have had affiliations with Chinese crime gangs, especially in the 1990s. I haven't read the source quoted, although the author himself posted in 2008 "...the book is seriously dated in many places and, especially since I've gone to graduate school and earned an MA in Asian Studies from Cornell, there are things I would now do differently were I to write it again." Surely, though, despite the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, the writer meant the 1890s.
I am thinking of making some major edits. I noticed that the "History" section contains a lot of information regarding tongs in America, so I think it would be best to add a "Tongs in America" section and transfer some of the content from the "History" section to the "Tongs in America" section. This would free up space in the "History" section to add more information regarding the origins and history of tongs in China. Additionally, I would like to create a "Chinatown, San Francisco" subsection under "Tongs in America." Within the "Chinatown, San Francisco" section, I would like to discuss the tongs in San Francisco and how those tongs were used by the Chinese during the San Francisco Chinatown Plague. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
So far, these are the sources I will be using:
Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: a Narrative History. Penguin Books, 2003.
Zhao, Xiaojian, and Edward J. W. Park. “Tongs and Tong War.” Asian Americans: an Encyclopedia of Social, Cultural, Economic, and Political History, Greenwood, 2014, pp. 1118–1120.
-- MichaelSegura ( talk) 02:47, 11 November 2017 (UTC)
Hello. I want to make some additions on how the "Bachelor Society" lead to how the tongs were involved with importing Chinese women to American for prostitution. In addition, I plan to make some additions on how tongs played a role in the plague outbreak of Chinatown and their responses to the vaccination during that period of time. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks.
Below are the sources I am using to make the additions: May add more sources.
Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America: a Narrative History. Penguin Books, 2003.
Risse, Guenter B. Plague, Fear, and Politics in San Francisco's Chinatown. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012.