Tongyili & Tongdeli in Su Zhou Shi, China

The Green Gang, possibly the biggest and most influential mafia in modern China, are mostly associated with the glitz and glamour of metropolitan Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s. However, some key figures at the very top of the gang’s hierarchy have their roots in the sleepy, nearby water town of Suzhou.

Just 70 miles west of Shanghai, Suzhou doesn’t have quite the rich early-20th-century gangster history that Shanghai can boast. But the notorious criminal, ‘Pockmarked’ Huang Jinrong, and his right-hand man, ‘Big-Eared’ Du Yuesheng, have left their mark on the ancient city streets of Huang’s childhood home.

By his mid-thirties, Du had developed quite the resume, including running opium dens, protection rackets, brothels, and casinos in Shanghai. He owned Shanghai’s largest shipping company and even two banks. He was known for his riches and success, with 4 wives, 12 concubines, and a large house in Shanghai’s French Concession.

Though he could never rest on his laurels due to the threat of the law, rivals, or the growing powers of the Communist Party, he could frequently be spotted at events with a posse of White Russian bodyguards. Du also had some strange superstitions that he believed aided his chance of avoiding capture; he had dried monkey heads sewn into his clothes and carried spell inscriptions with him at all times for protection.

After taking over operations from Huang, ‘Big-Eared’ Du decided to add to his portfolio of properties and simultaneously seek greater protection by constructing a small holiday home in the quieter, famously elegant Suzhou of his boss and mentor’s youth. Du was obviously looking for a spot of respite from the hustle and bustle of the big city, and even designed a courtyard with all four doors facing inwards to allow inconspicuous passage between buildings — away from the prying eyes of the street.

The two courtyards and adjacent alleyways stand out to this day, since they are emblazoned with ornate scrollwork, grapevine pergolas, and grey brick, most commonly associated with ‘Minguo’ architecture in nearby Nanjing or Shanghai. You won’t find mobsters lurking in the alleyways at night nowadays, since the area was refurbished in 2007 and belongs to the city government.