On Leong Chinese Merchants Association

On Leong Chinese Merchants Association
The landmark On Leong Merchants Association Building in Chinatown, Manhattan (曼哈頓華埠)
Traditional Chinese安良工商會
Simplified Chinese安良工商会
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinĀnliáng Gōngshānghuì
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationŌn-lèuhng Gūng-sēung-wúi
Jyutpingon1 loeng4 gung1 soeng1 wui2
On Leong Tong
Traditional Chinese安良堂
Simplified Chinese安良堂
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinĀnliángtáng
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationŌn-lèuhng Tòhng
Jyutpingon1 loeng4 tong4


The On Leong Chinese Merchants Association, or simply Chinese Merchants Association, formerly known as the On Leong Tong, is a tong society operating out of its territory at the intersection of Canal Street and Mott Street in Chinatown, Manhattan. Established in November 1893, the tong fought a violent war for control of Chinatown's rackets and businesses with the Hip Sing Tong. In recent years, the Tong has been linked to the Ghost Shadows street gang led by Wing Yeung Chan. Currently, there are over 30,000 registered On Leong members, the majority of whom have a commercial or industrial background.[1]

The New York headquarters of the On Leong Chinese Merchants Association was designed by architect Poy Gum Lee.

References

Further reading

  • Denny Lee, Years of the Dragons Information on the history of Ghost Shadows, New York Times, May 11, 2003.
  • MacIllwain, Jeffrey Scott. Organizing Crime in Chinatown: race and racketeering in New York City, 1890-1910. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2004. ISBN 0-7864-1626-2