Part 2/10:
The story of the Triads begins not in the modern criminal underworld, but with ancient secret societies that emerged in response to oppressive regimes. Throughout Chinese history, these clandestine groups often manifested during times of turmoil when dynastic rulers were perceived to have lost their “mandate of heaven”—a divine right to rule.
One of the earliest instances of this occurred during the Han dynasty with the Yellow Turbans, a Daoist sect that ignited one of the bloodiest peasant uprisings in Chinese history, contributing to the dynasty's collapse. Fast-forward to the period of Mongol rule, and we find the White Lotus Society, who played a crucial role in the overthrow of their conquerors and the restoration of the native Han rule.