Triad structure

Triads are Chinese secret societies, which had degenerated into criminal gangs. The triad gang that took charge in KWC was one of the most active and notorious triad societies in Hong Kong, the 14K. Another gang known as the ‘Ging Yi’ operated in KWC but the two did not clash aslong as neither infringed upon the other gangs territory. The two gangs even controlled the periodic police activity in the walled city at that time. The Triads knew about absolutely everything that happened in the walled city and if you were not one of them, you were vulnerable to every kind of threat. This motivated more of the youth to give their oath and become a ‘sai lo’. A ‘Sai lo’ is a younger brother to a more experienced gang member. By becoming a member, you receive protection in return for absolute obedience. Another benefit to joining the triads is the potential to make money by running errands for the Triad-run gambling dens and opium ‘divians’, or by selling tickets for the blue film theatre. At street level, triads make money by various illegal means and command fear by employing blackmail and violence. Triad members who stand at the 40 street entrances guarding this territory are known as watchmen and the give advance warnings of suspicious strangers or the appearance of police.

Triad Hierarchical Structure

o The heirarchial structure of the triad societies dictates the responsibilities of each member as well as the statues and earning power.

o Each member has an associated name and code number.

‘489’ or ‘Mountain master’ The highest rank or the boss
‘415’ or ‘White Paper Fan’	‘426’ or ‘Red Pole’ The actual power of triads lies at the ground level of the hierarchy. Usually, a triad "official" ("Red Pole") leads a group of 15 active members, and wields aggression on a turf.		‘432’ or ‘Straw Sandal’
‘49’ or ‘Sai Lo’ The lowest rank of the triads and is a younger brother attached to an elder brother known as a ‘Dai Lo’

Political Implications of the Counterculture Proposed by Island Adaptations

As an isolated self-dependent functioning unit that is legally part of China but is unconstitutionally ignored by them, the denizens of this highly dense urban centre known as the Kowloon Walled City lived in an enclave of Hong Kong. Abandoned by civilization, the residents of the Kowloon Walled City were forced to create their own civilization from the scraps and leftovers of the urban decay of the surrounding socioeconomic fabric. In a similar fashion, Crusoe was physically expelled from the European Civilization he had been accustomed to his whole life and was forced to deal with the implications of living in his colonial Christian converter mindset as a savage. Literally with only the scraps of his past life, he assembled the wreckage of his ship and built himself more than just a humble abode in his own interpretation of a personal utopia.

In this highly sociological manner, both the Kowloon Walled City and Robinson Crusoe could be said to represent a kind of counterculture movement against the established status quo also known as the dialectic of enlightenment. The two distinct but very similar island adaptations reached their climax but as is the case with most opposition to dominant culture, the fledgling civilization crumbled under the weight of the establishment of hierarchy. Both civilizations also met their demise with the introduction of an invasive isolated force, completely separate from the local biome it encountered. When Hong Kong was returned to the Chinese, the first act of the Communist regime was to show their dominance over a society that run effectively without any form of centralized government by violently demolishing this fragile but important element of human culture. Violently extinguishing the spark of freedom. When a European ship arrived off Crusoe’s “Island of Despair,” he immediately abandoned his utopia. Both civilizations essentially failed, seizing to become elements of unique human existence and instead fell into the decline of mediocrity.