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Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s was troubled by powerful criminal gangs run by ruthless godfathers, the most powerful of who were Du Yuesheng, known as Zongshi or 'The Boss' of the Green Gang and the Shanghai underworld; Zhang Xiaolin, also a powerful Green Gang leader; and Huang Jingrong, the highest-ranking Chinese detective on the French Concession Police (FCP) and one of Shanghai's most important gangsters.<br/><br/> Their empires included drugs, protection rackets, smuggling and prostitution.
Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s was troubled by powerful criminal gangs run by ruthless godfathers, the most powerful of who were Du Yuesheng, known as Zongshi or 'The Boss' of the Green Gang and the Shanghai underworld; Zhang Xiaolin, also a powerful Green Gang leader; and Huang Jingrong, the highest-ranking Chinese detective on the French Concession Police (FCP) and one of Shanghai's most important gangsters.<br/><br/> Their empires included drugs, protection rackets, smuggling and prostitution.
Fuzhou Road and the surrounding side streets and alleys emerged as the main centre of street prostitution in Shanghai during the 1890s, and by the 1920s was notorious as the city's largest 'red light' area (although traditionally Chinese indicated such areas not with red lights, but with green lanterns.<br/><br/> Much of the prostitution was controlled by criminal organisations such as the infamous 'Green Gang' run by Du Yuesheng and his henchmen.
Born in 1868 in Suzhou, his father was a constable in Suzhou before the family migrated to Shanghai to open a teahouse. During his childhood, Huang contracted a bad case of smallpox. While his subordinates called him 'Grand Master Huang', behind his back everyone called him 'Pockmarked Huang'.<br/><br/> Huang went to work at his father’s teahouse, which was not very far from the Zhengjia Bridge near the French Concession. The bridge in those days sheltered a large population of hustlers and crooks. Huang Jinrong fitted right in, and organised many of them into a gang who later became his sworn followers. Aged 24, Huang passed the entrance exams and entered the French Concession police force, the Garde Municipale in 1892. Being strong, brash and capable, he did very well and became a detective in the Criminal Justice Section (Police Judiciaire).<br/><br/> With the exception of a brief sojourn to Suzhou, Huang served continuously in the Police Judiciaire for twenty years until his retirement in 1925 after several major scandals rocked the department. Although associated with gangs such as the Big Eight Mob, his public profile was always aligned with the police.
Zhang Xiaolin was one of the "Three Shanghai Godfathers" and, along with Du Yuesheng, was a leader of the Shanghai Green Gang. In 1939, with the Japanese capture of Shanghai, he was appointed puppet governor of Zhejiang. He was assassinated in 1940.
Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s was troubled by powerful criminal gangs run by ruthless godfathers, the most powerful of who were Du Yuesheng, known as Zongshi or 'The Boss' of the Green Gang and the Shanghai underworld; Zhang Xiaolin, also a powerful Green Gang leader; and Huang Jingrong, the highest-ranking Chinese detective on the French Concession Police (FCP) and one of Shanghai's most important gangsters.<br/><br/> Their empires included drugs, protection rackets, smuggling and prostitution.
Du Yuesheng (Tu Yüeh-sheng), commonly known as 'Big-Ears Du' (1887–1951) was a Chinese gangster who spent much of his life in Shanghai. He was a key supporter of the Kuomintang (KMT; aka Nationalists) and Chiang Kai-shek in their battle against the Communists during the 1920s, and was a figure of some importance during the Second Sino-Japanese War.<br/><br/> After the Chinese Civil War and the KMT's retreat to Taiwan, Du went into exile in Hong Kong and remained there until his death in 1951. According to a contemporaneous description:<br/><br/> Du Yuesheng is short and slender, with long arms, a shaven head, large yellow teeth and large ears that stick out. He is always accompanied by armed bodyguards, and his home is a fortified drug depot, well stocked with guns and ammunition. Upon entering, the visitor finds the entrance hall lined on both sides with stacks of rifles and sub-machine guns. The house has three floors - on each floor he keeps one of his three wives. He speaks no foreign languages, yet is always keen to meet people of all nationalities, for he gleefully collects gossip and information, no matter how seemingly trivial.<br/><br/> Du employs four bodyguards: an ill-tempered blacksmith called Fiery Old Crow, a gardener, a former waiter from the Shanghai Club who speaks English and a former chauffeur from the American consulate called Stars & Stripes. Du never goes anywhere without being accompanied by two carloads of armed men. If going out on the town to teahouses and nightclubs, one car always goes ahead to check the place out first. Du follows in his bullet proof car with a second car full of his enforcers. Only when his men have surrounded the car door does he get out. Once inside the club, his guards all sit around him with their guns in plain sight to everyone.
Born in 1868 in Suzhou, his father was a constable in Suzhou before the family migrated to Shanghai to open a teahouse. During his childhood, Huang contracted a bad case of smallpox. While his subordinates called him 'Grand Master Huang', behind his back everyone called him 'Pockmarked Huang'.<br/><br/> Huang went to work at his father’s teahouse, which was not very far from the Zhengjia Bridge near the French Concession. The bridge in those days sheltered a large population of hustlers and crooks. Huang Jinrong fitted right in, and organised many of them into a gang who later became his sworn followers. Aged 24, Huang passed the entrance exams and entered the French Concession police force, the Garde Municipale in 1892. Being strong, brash and capable, he did very well and became a detective in the Criminal Justice Section (Police Judiciaire).<br/><br/> With the exception of a brief sojourn to Suzhou, Huang served continuously in the Police Judiciaire for twenty years until his retirement in 1925 after several major scandals rocked the department. Although associated with gangs such as the Big Eight Mob, his public profile was always aligned with the police.
Du Yuesheng (Tu Yüeh-sheng), commonly known as 'Big-Ears Du' (1887–1951) was a Chinese gangster who spent much of his life in Shanghai. He was a key supporter of the Kuomintang (KMT; aka Nationalists) and Chiang Kai-shek in their battle against the Communists during the 1920s, and was a figure of some importance during the Second Sino-Japanese War.<br/><br/> After the Chinese Civil War and the KMT's retreat to Taiwan, Du went into exile in Hong Kong and remained there until his death in 1951. According to a contemporaneous description:<br/><br/> Du Yuesheng is short and slender, with long arms, a shaven head, large yellow teeth and large ears that stick out. He is always accompanied by armed bodyguards, and his home is a fortified drug depot, well stocked with guns and ammunition. Upon entering, the visitor finds the entrance hall lined on both sides with stacks of rifles and sub-machine guns. The house has three floors - on each floor he keeps one of his three wives. He speaks no foreign languages, yet is always keen to meet people of all nationalities, for he gleefully collects gossip and information, no matter how seemingly trivial.<br/><br/> Du employs four bodyguards: an ill-tempered blacksmith called Fiery Old Crow, a gardener, a former waiter from the Shanghai Club who speaks English and a former chauffeur from the American consulate called Stars & Stripes. Du never goes anywhere without being accompanied by two carloads of armed men. If going out on the town to teahouses and nightclubs, one car always goes ahead to check the place out first. Du follows in his bullet proof car with a second car full of his enforcers. Only when his men have surrounded the car door does he get out. Once inside the club, his guards all sit around him with their guns in plain sight to everyone.
Meng Xiaodong was born in Shanghai in 1907 and by the age of 13 was already singing Peking Opera at the Da Shijie 'Great World' Entertainment Complex. During the course of her professional career she sang all over China, always returning to Shanghai. In Chinese opera, she always played bearded men.<br/><br/> In 1925, Shanghai-born 18 year-old Meng Xiaodong met Mei Lanfang for the first time while performing on stage together during a minister's birthday party in Beijing. Over a year later, she married Mei and became his third wife. They had a daughter together just before their marriage ended in 1931. Reportedly, they never spoke to each other again. In a strange twist of fate, Meng Xiaodong later became the concubine and then fifth wife of Shanghai gangster, Green Gang leader and right wing politician Du Yuesheng ('Big Ears Du').<br/><br/> Meng Xiaodong moved to Taiwan in the 1960s, died in 1977, and is buried in the Buddhist cemetery at Jinglu Temple at Shanjia, Shulin in Taipei County.
Meng Xiaodong was born in Shanghai in 1907 and by the age of 13 was already singing Peking Opera at the Da Shijie 'Great World' Entertainment Complex. During the course of her professional career she sang all over China, always returning to Shanghai. In Chinese opera, she always played bearded men.<br/><br/> In 1925, Shanghai-born 18 year-old Meng Xiaodong met Mei Lanfang for the first time while performing on stage together during a minister's birthday party in Beijing. Over a year later, she married Mei and became his third wife. They had a daughter together just before their marriage ended in 1931. Reportedly, they never spoke to each other again. In a strange twist of fate, Meng Xiaodong later became the concubine and then fifth wife of Shanghai gangster, Green Gang leader and right wing politician Du Yuesheng ('Big Ears Du').<br/><br/> Meng Xiaodong moved to Taiwan in the 1960s, died in 1977, and is buried in the Buddhist cemetery at Jinglu Temple at Shanjia, Shulin in Taipei County.
Meng Xiaodong was born in Shanghai in 1907 and by the age of 13 was already singing Peking Opera at the Da Shijie 'Great World' Entertainment Complex. During the course of her professional career she sang all over China, always returning to Shanghai. In Chinese opera, she always played bearded men.<br/><br/> In 1925, Shanghai-born 18 year-old Meng Xiaodong met Mei Lanfang for the first time while performing on stage together during a minister's birthday party in Beijing. Over a year later, she married Mei and became his third wife. They had a daughter together just before their marriage ended in 1931. Reportedly, they never spoke to each other again. In a strange twist of fate, Meng Xiaodong later became the concubine and then fifth wife of Shanghai gangster, Green Gang leader and right wing politician Du Yuesheng ('Big Ears Du').<br/><br/> Meng Xiaodong moved to Taiwan in the 1960s, died in 1977, and is buried in the Buddhist cemetery at Jinglu Temple at Shanjia, Shulin in Taipei County.
Meng Xiaodong was born in Shanghai in 1907 and by the age of 13 was already singing Peking Opera at the Da Shijie 'Great World' Entertainment Complex. During the course of her professional career she sang all over China, always returning to Shanghai. In Chinese opera, she always played bearded men.<br/><br/> In 1925, Shanghai-born 18 year-old Meng Xiaodong met Mei Lanfang for the first time while performing on stage together during a minister's birthday party in Beijing. Over a year later, she married Mei and became his third wife. They had a daughter together just before their marriage ended in 1931. Reportedly, they never spoke to each other again. In a strange twist of fate, Meng Xiaodong later became the concubine and then fifth wife of Shanghai gangster, Green Gang leader and right wing politician Du Yuesheng ('Big Ears Du').<br/><br/> Meng Xiaodong moved to Taiwan in the 1960s, died in 1977, and is buried in the Buddhist cemetery at Jinglu Temple at Shanjia, Shulin in Taipei County.
On April 12, 1927, Chiang Ka-shek and his Green Gang allies initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100,000 workers who had taken to the streets in labor union demonstrations, killing more than 5,000 people. Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai, more than 12,000 people were killed or disappeared. The man in the picture surveying the slaughter appears to carry a weapon under his arm, and may well have been a 'Green Gang' mobster.
In modern Chinese history, White Terror (Báisè Kǒngbù) describes a period of political suppression enacted by the Kuomintang party under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. It began in 1927 following the purge of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai.<br/><br/> On April 12, 1927, Chiang initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings in the 'Shanghai massacre of 1927'. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100,000 workers who had taken to the streets in labour union demonstrations, killing more than 5,000 people. Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai, more than 12,000 people were killed or had disappeared. The Chinese Communist Party was virtually extinguished. At the beginning of 1927, the Chinese Communist Party had about 60,000 members. By the end of the year, no more than 10,000 remained. Following the Shanghai massacres, Mao Zedong and the CCP adopted the road of agrarian revolution, based on the rural peasantry rather than the urban proletariat.
Du Yuesheng (Tu Yüeh-sheng), commonly known as 'Big-Ears Du' (1887–1951) was a Chinese gangster who spent much of his life in Shanghai. He was a key supporter of the Kuomintang (KMT; aka Nationalists) and Chiang Kai-shek in their battle against the Communists during the 1920s, and was a figure of some importance during the Second Sino-Japanese War. After the Chinese Civil War and the KMT's retreat to Taiwan, Du went into exile in Hong Kong and remained there until his death in 1951.
In modern Chinese history, White Terror (Báisè Kǒngbù) describes a period of political suppression enacted by the Kuomintang party under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek.<br/><br/> It began in 1927 following the purge of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai. On April 12, 1927, Chiang initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings in the Shanghai massacre of 1927. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100,000 workers who had taken to the streets in labour union demonstrations, killing more than 5,000 people.<br/><br/> Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai, more than 12,000 people were killed or had disappeared. The Chinese Communist Party was virtually extinguished. At the beginning of 1927, the Chinese Communist Party had about 60,000 members.<br/><br/> By the end of the year, no more than 10,000 remained. Following the Shanghai massacres, Mao Zedong and the CCP adopted the road of agrarian revolution, based on the rural peasantry rather than the urban proletariat.
In modern Chinese history, White Terror (Báisè Kǒngbù) describes a period of political suppression enacted by the Kuomintang party under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. It began in 1927 following the purge of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai.<br/><br/> On April 12, 1927, Chiang initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings in the 'Shanghai massacre of 1927'. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100,000 workers who had taken to the streets in labour union demonstrations, killing more than 5,000 people. Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai, more than 12,000 people were killed or had disappeared. The Chinese Communist Party was virtually extinguished. At the beginning of 1927, the Chinese Communist Party had about 60,000 members. By the end of the year, no more than 10,000 remained. Following the Shanghai massacres, Mao Zedong and the CCP adopted the road of agrarian revolution, based on the rural peasantry rather than the urban proletariat.
The Shanghai Terror: In 1927, communists tried to end foreign rule, officially supported by the gangsters and the Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists. Leaders of the Green Gang however entered into informal alliances with Chiang Kai-shek and the Shanghailander capitalists acted against the communists and organised labour unions. The nationalists had cooperated with gang leaders since the revolution of 1911. Many communists were killed in a major gangster surprise attack in April 1927 in the Chinese administered part of Shanghai, although sporadic fighting between gangsters and communists had occurred previously. Chinese Communist leader Zhou Enlai was fortunate to flee the city, because suspected left-wingers were executed on sight.
In modern Chinese history, White Terror (Báisè Kǒngbù) describes a period of political suppression enacted by the Kuomintang party under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek.<br/><br/> It began in 1927 following the purge of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai. On April 12, 1927, Chiang initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings in the Shanghai massacre of 1927. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100,000 workers who had taken to the streets in labour union demonstrations, killing more than 5,000 people.<br/><br/> Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai, more than 12,000 people were killed or had disappeared. The Chinese Communist Party was virtually extinguished. At the beginning of 1927, the Chinese Communist Party had about 60,000 members.<br/><br/> By the end of the year, no more than 10,000 remained. Following the Shanghai massacres, Mao Zedong and the CCP adopted the road of agrarian revolution, based on the rural peasantry rather than the urban proletariat.
In modern Chinese history, White Terror (Báisè Kǒngbù) describes a period of political suppression enacted by the Kuomintang party under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. It began in 1927 following the purge of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai.<br/><br/> On April 12, 1927, Chiang initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings in the 'Shanghai massacre of 1927'. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100,000 workers who had taken to the streets in labour union demonstrations, killing more than 5,000 people. Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai, more than 12,000 people were killed or had disappeared. The Chinese Communist Party was virtually extinguished. At the beginning of 1927, the Chinese Communist Party had about 60,000 members. By the end of the year, no more than 10,000 remained. Following the Shanghai massacres, Mao Zedong and the CCP adopted the road of agrarian revolution, based on the rural peasantry rather than the urban proletariat.
The Shanghai Terror: In 1927, communists tried to end foreign rule, officially supported by the gangsters and the Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists. Leaders of the Green Gang however entered into informal alliances with Chiang Kai-shek and the Shanghailander capitalists acted against the communists and organised labour unions. The nationalists had cooperated with gang leaders since the revolution of 1911. Many communists were killed in a major gangster surprise attack in April 1927 in the Chinese administered part of Shanghai, although sporadic fighting between gangsters and communists had occurred previously. Chinese Communist leader Zhou Enlai was fortunate to flee the city, because suspected left-wingers were executed on sight.
In modern Chinese history, White Terror (Báisè Kǒngbù) describes a period of political suppression enacted by the Kuomintang party under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. It began in 1927 following the purge of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai.<br/><br/> On April 12, 1927, Chiang initiated a purge of Communists from the Shanghai Kuomintang and began large-scale killings in the 'Shanghai massacre of 1927'. Chiang's forces turned machine guns on 100,000 workers who had taken to the streets in labour union demonstrations, killing more than 5,000 people. Throughout April 1927 in Shanghai, more than 12,000 people were killed or had disappeared. The Chinese Communist Party was virtually extinguished. At the beginning of 1927, the Chinese Communist Party had about 60,000 members. By the end of the year, no more than 10,000 remained. Following the Shanghai massacres, Mao Zedong and the CCP adopted the road of agrarian revolution, based on the rural peasantry rather than the urban proletariat.
Fuzhou Road and the surrounding side streets and alleys emerged as the main centre of street prostitution in Shanghai during the 1890s, and by the 1920s was notorious as the city's largest 'red light' area (although traditionally Chinese indicated such areas not with red lights, but with green lanterns.<br/><br/> Much of the prostitution was controlled by criminal organisations such as the infamous 'Green Gang' run by Du Yuesheng and his henchmen.
Meng Xiaodong was born in Shanghai in 1907 and by the age of 13 was already singing Peking Opera at the Da Shijie 'Great World' Entertainment Complex. During the course of her professional career she sang all over China, always returning to Shanghai. In Chinese opera, she always played bearded men.<br/><br/> In 1925, Shanghai-born 18 year-old Meng Xiaodong met Mei Lanfang for the first time while performing on stage together during a minister's birthday party in Beijing. Over a year later, she married Mei and became his third wife. They had a daughter together just before their marriage ended in 1931. Reportedly, they never spoke to each other again. In a strange twist of fate, Meng Xiaodong later became the concubine and then fifth wife of Shanghai gangster, Green Gang leader and right wing politician Du Yuesheng ('Big Ears Du').<br/><br/> Meng Xiaodong moved to Taiwan in the 1960s, died in 1977, and is buried in the Buddhist cemetery at Jinglu Temple at Shanjia, Shulin in Taipei County.