China's First Gang

During the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty, Baoqing Prefecture in Huguang (today's Shaoyang) was rich in fir wood, coal, paper, tea and other materials. The people of Baoqing Prefecture used boats made of fir wood to transport these materials from Zishui in southern Hunan to Dongting Lake, the Yangtze River, and up the Shuohan River to Hankou. They built simple docks and bamboo houses in the backwater bays along the river. Due to the long journey, the bamboo hut at the wharf was unguarded. When they came back again, it was occupied by the Anwei Gang. So in order to compete for the wharf, the Baoqing Gang and the Anwei Gang fought for several years, with numerous casualties on both sides. This incident shocked the government and the public, and involved ministers Li Hongzhang and Zeng Guofan. Still, their fate could not be determined... A thin young man can make a difference in one fell swoop. Let's see how this young man established the first gang in China during the late Qing Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty...