Bing Kong Tong
Encyclopedia
The Bing Kong Tong was one of the powerful Tongs in San Francisco's Chinatown
during the early 20th century. Since most, if not all, Chinatowns founded in the United States in the 19th century were founded by migrants from the province of Canton (Guangdong in mandarin Chinese, which is a spoken Chinese dialect different from that spoken by the Cantonese), many place names were transliterated from the Cantonese dialect. The word 堂, "tong" or "tong4", here means "hall" and is not to be confused with 黨, "dong2", which means gang or (political) party. Bing Kong Tong would be more accurately transliterated as "Bing2 Goong1 Tong4", meaning "hall upholding justice". Unfortunately, perhaps owing to the fact that many halls rivaled each other and had loyalists who would form gangs, it seems that the confusion has been perpetrated and perpetuated. (The difference between the correct word and the almost-correct word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. --Mark Twain)
Known as the Bing Kong Tong Society (or Bing Kung Association in Seattle, Washington
), the organization was one of the largest in California when the Hop Sing
and Suey Sing Tongs allied against the Bing Kongs, instigating one of the most violent of the Tong wars in the United States. As the gang war continued, the numerous murders caught the attention of the press as the often gruesome slayings were detailed. Eventually an investigation headed by Santa Rosa, California
, attorney Wallace L. Ware, in cooperation with the District Attorney's office, exposed the extent of the Bing Kongs influence throughout the Chinese American
populations along the west coast and southwestern United States
(as far as the conviction of four members for a Tong murder in Kingman, Arizona
). Weakened by the decade long war against the rival Tongs as well as state authorities, the Bing Kongs would eventually merge as a powerful trade union
, under the Association; Free Masons although it is suspected by federal and local law enforcement officials to still have remaining ties to organized crime
.
The Bing Kong Tong has several branches in the United States including in:
Chinatown, San Francisco, California
San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. Since its establishment in 1848, it has been highly important and influential in the history and culture of ethnic Chinese immigrants to the United States and North America...
during the early 20th century. Since most, if not all, Chinatowns founded in the United States in the 19th century were founded by migrants from the province of Canton (Guangdong in mandarin Chinese, which is a spoken Chinese dialect different from that spoken by the Cantonese), many place names were transliterated from the Cantonese dialect. The word 堂, "tong" or "tong4", here means "hall" and is not to be confused with 黨, "dong2", which means gang or (political) party. Bing Kong Tong would be more accurately transliterated as "Bing2 Goong1 Tong4", meaning "hall upholding justice". Unfortunately, perhaps owing to the fact that many halls rivaled each other and had loyalists who would form gangs, it seems that the confusion has been perpetrated and perpetuated. (The difference between the correct word and the almost-correct word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. --Mark Twain)
Known as the Bing Kong Tong Society (or Bing Kung Association in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
), the organization was one of the largest in California when the Hop Sing
Hop Sing Tong
The Hop Sing Tong is a Chinese American Tong that was established in 1875.-Branches:The Hop Sing Tong has several branches in the United States including in:* Boise, Idaho - 706 Front Street ...
and Suey Sing Tongs allied against the Bing Kongs, instigating one of the most violent of the Tong wars in the United States. As the gang war continued, the numerous murders caught the attention of the press as the often gruesome slayings were detailed. Eventually an investigation headed by Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
, attorney Wallace L. Ware, in cooperation with the District Attorney's office, exposed the extent of the Bing Kongs influence throughout the Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
populations along the west coast and southwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(as far as the conviction of four members for a Tong murder in Kingman, Arizona
Kingman, Arizona
Kingman is located in a desert climate on the edge of the Mojave Desert, but its higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau and the Lower Colorado River Valley tempers summer high temperatures and contributes to winter cold and rare snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F ...
). Weakened by the decade long war against the rival Tongs as well as state authorities, the Bing Kongs would eventually merge as a powerful trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, under the Association; Free Masons although it is suspected by federal and local law enforcement officials to still have remaining ties to organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
.
Branches
- Bakersfield, CaliforniaBakersfield, CaliforniaBakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
- 705 18th Street (defunct) - Fresno, CaliforniaFresno, CaliforniaFresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
- 925 China Alley - Isleton, CaliforniaIsleton, CaliforniaIsleton is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. The population was 804 at the 2010 census, down from 828 at the 2000 census. It is located on Andrus Island amid the slough wetlands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, on the eastern edge of the Rio Vista Gas Field.The city...
- 29 Main Street (defunct) - Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
- 963 N Broadway - Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
- 374 8th Street - Oxnard, CaliforniaOxnard, CaliforniaOxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
- 751 S Oxnard Boulevard - Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
- 24 NW 4th Avenue - Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
- 918 5th Street - Salinas, CaliforniaSalinas, CaliforniaSalinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
- 16 Soledad Street - Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
- 1212 S State Street - San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
- 35 Waverly Place - Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
- 706 S King Street - Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, CaliforniaStockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
- 440 S San Joaquin Street - Walnut Grove, CaliforniaWalnut Grove, CaliforniaWalnut Grove is a census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- 14136 Market Street (defunct)
External links
- Bing Kong Tong website (in Traditional Chinese)
- History of Chinese Associations in Fresno (in Simplified Chinese)