The image of a triad leader in films is of someone with hundreds of followers, who chop rival gangsters and confront police. But being a member of a triad may not be as cool as the imagine.
'Every day I was haunted with fear,' a former member says of his years in a triad. 'When I heard loud footsteps behind me, I had to look back to see if it was [people out to get revenge on me] or police.'
Mandi (not his real name) is 37, and looks no different from any other man of his age. But when he was a triad his hair was dyed gold, he showed off his scorpion tattoos and wore flared jeans with holes.
Influenced by his triad father, Mandi had met many triad members since he was a child and thought there was nothing wrong with them.
'I saw those 'uncles' as being very cool,' he said. 'People called them 'big brother' and respected them. They did not need to pay when they ate in a restaurant. It seemed very good to be one of them and I liked the feeling of being cool.'
Mandi join a youth gang when he was 12. He left school and underwent ceremonies to become an official triad when he was 15. He was first involved in collecting debts and protection money.
He said his 'big brother' offered him protection in the beginning, so he was loyal to the gang and thought there was a 'triad brotherhood', meaning that members would selflessly help each other.