黑帮组织,或者说帮会,似乎总是与诸如赌博、鸦片、妓院和黑帮火拼等非法活动联系在一起。然而,这篇文章旨在探讨这些秘密组织的另一个方面,即它们作为中国移民互助组织所发挥的功能。帮会吸纳了被旧金山唐人街上层社会和美国社会所排斥的下层阶级,为他们在一个远离故乡的家乡中成立了一个社区。然而,尽管具备相同的民族身份,帮会之间却从来未能和平相处,血腥的帮会战争不时侵扰着旧金山唐人街并扭曲了中国人的整体形象。但是随着唐人街经济与社会结构的变化,尤其伴随着人们民族意识的萌生,帮会及其纷争逐渐衰落。然而,即使在其衰落之后,它们的消极影响依然挥之不去,像一个阴影长久地萦绕在唐人街之上。 Gangs, or gangs, always seem to be linked to illegal activities such as gambling, opium, brothels and gang rallies. However, this article aims to explore another aspect of these clandestine organizations, that is, their role as a mutual aid organization for Chinese immigrants. The gang recruited the underclassmen who were rejected by the Upper Chinatown community in San Francisco and the American community to set up a community for them in a home away from hometown. However, despite the same national identity, the gang never failed to live in peace. The bloody Gang Wars infringed upon Chinatown in San Francisco from time to time and distorted the overall Chinese image. However, with the economic and social structure of Chinatown changing, especially with the initiation of people’s national consciousness, gangs and their disputes have gradually declined. However, even after their decline, their negative effects are still lingering, long-awaited as a shadow over Chinatown.