Today’s Chinatown, a lively hub for tourists and locals, was once notorious for secret societies, illegal activities, and violence. This stands in stark contrast to its gentrified facades and restored shophouses.

The Teochew-Hokkien Riots of 1854, involving clashes between secret societies, resulted in around 500 deaths and the destruction of 300 homes. In 1889, the British introduced the Societies Ordinance to abolish triad activity, leading to the decline of secret societies.