In my first novel, The Shanghai Circle, I touch on the organisational structure of the triads, and in Joseph’s initiation into the Sung Triads, I mention the Vanguard and Incense Master, and of course Joseph’s father, the leader or Dragonhead.

There are a series of levels and some could say 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 (soldiers), and wields aggression on a turf.

Triads also use numeric codes to differentiate the ranks and positions inside a gang. For example, 426 would mean “fighter” (打仔). Another code 49 (四九仔) would denote a rank-and-file member. 489 is the code for “the mountain master”, 438 for the “deputy mountain master”, 415 for “the white paper fan”, and 432 for the “straw sandal”. The code 25 (二五仔), an undercover/spy of the gang, has entered common usage in Hong Kong to mean a “traitor”.

In my novels, Ho-wei, was selected to oversee the training of Joseph. Hao-wei, would have been a ‘Red Pole’.

A typical organisational structure of a large triad would like this –