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The Bing Kong Tong (Chinese: 秉公堂; pinyin: Bǐnggōng Táng) 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^[1], 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.

Branches

The Bing Kong Tong has several branches in the United States including in:

Bakersfield, California - 705 18th Street (defunct)
Fresno, California - 925 China Alley
Isleton, California - 29 Main Street (defunct)
Los Angeles, California - 963 N Broadway
Oakland, California - 374 8th Street
Oxnard, California - 751 S Oxnard Boulevard
Portland, Oregon - 24 NW 4th Avenue
Sacramento, California - 918 5th Street
Salinas, California - 16 Soledad Street
Salt Lake City, Utah - 1212 S State Street
San Francisco, California - 35 Waverly Place
Seattle, Washington - 706 S King Street
Stockton, California - 440 S San Joaquin Street
Walnut Grove, California - 14136 Market Street (defunct)

References

^ Street, Richard Steven. Beasts of the Field: A Narrative History of California Farmworkers, 1769-1913. Stanford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-8047-3880-7, ISBN 978-0-8047-3880-4. p398.

Devito, Carlo. Encyclopedia of International Organized Crime, Facts On File, Inc.: New York, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-4848-7

External links

Bing Kong Tong website (in Traditional Chinese)
History of Chinese Associations in Fresno (in Simplified Chinese)

[1] Street, Richard Steven. Beasts of the Field: A Narrative History of California Farmworkers, 1769-1913. Stanford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-8047-3880-7, ISBN 978-0-8047-3880-4. p398.

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 The '''Bing Kong Tong''' ({{zh|c=秉公堂|p=Bǐnggōng Táng}}) was one of the powerful [[Tong (gang)|Tongs]] in [[San Francisco]]'s [[Chinatown, San Francisco, California|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 Tong|Hop Sing]] and [[Suey Sing Tong]]s 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]]<ref>Street, Richard Steven. [http://books.google.com/books?id=DxOHu1EP36cC ''Beasts of the Field: A Narrative History of California Farmworkers, 1769-1913'']. Stanford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-8047-3880-7, 978-0-804-73880-4. p398. </ref>, 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]].
+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 Tong|Hop Sing]] and [[Suey Sing Tong]]s 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]]<ref>Street, Richard Steven. [http://books.google.com/books?id=DxOHu1EP36cC ''Beasts of the Field: A Narrative History of California Farmworkers, 1769-1913'']. Stanford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-8047-3880-7, ISBN 978-0-8047-3880-4. p398. </ref>, 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]].
 ==Branches==
-[[Image:Seattle Bing Kung Association 01.jpg|thumb|The Bing Kung Association building in Seattle, Washington.]]
+[[File:Seattle Bing Kung Association 01.jpg|thumb|The Bing Kung Association building in Seattle, Washington.]]
 The Bing Kong Tong has several branches in the United States including in:
 * [[Bakersfield, California]] - 705 18th Street (''defunct'')