"The Modern Shanghai Underworld" narrates the emergence and growth of the Shanghai underworld in a specific historical context, as well as the social and cultural factors that contributed to its astonishing criminal activities. The book delves into the roots of its formation, the jaw-dropping crimes it committed, and the structural aspects of its organization. It also explores how its members were selected and subjected to re-education, while examining their beliefs, cultural levels, lifestyles, family compositions, communication methods, and the main types and characteristics of their activities. Such questions remain largely unexplored, lacking a profound and accurate historical response.

The significance of this exploration goes beyond filling the gap in research; it is essential to help people gain a deeper, more vivid, and comprehensive understanding of modern Chinese society. Furthermore, it serves as a mirror that can provide valuable insights for governing today's society. Sensible observers cannot overlook that contemporary China, undergoing rapid transformations, might be fostering certain conditions and environments conducive to the germination of some elements of the underworld. If left unchecked, the sprouting of these malignant forces may evolve into a social cancer akin to the modern Shanghai underworld. This is not an alarmist view. If this work can provoke multi-faceted reflections from the historical to the contemporary, then our purpose will have been fulfilled.

The primary sources for this book are derived from newspapers, periodicals, and special collections published before the liberation era, memoirs, writings by underworld figures, criminal archives held by the public security system, and the social surveys conducted by the author.

《近代上海黑社会》讲述了:上海黑社会是在什么历史土壤里萌芽，又凭借何种社会风水而成长？它那令人瞠目结舌的犯罪是如何产生的，其内容的结构又是怎样？它的成员通过什么途径被选中并接受再教育？其信仰、文化水准、生活方式、家庭构成、联络方式，以及主要活动的类型与特点，诸如此类的问题，都还未曾有深刻而准确的历史回答。 需要指出的是，这一探讨的意义，不仅是为了填补这一研究的空白，更重要的是，它可以帮助人们更深刻、更形象、更全面地了解近代中国社会，并为治理当今社会提供一面可资借鉴的镜子。敏感的人们不难观察到，处于急速变化中的当代中国社会，由于某些气候、土壤的因缘际会，黑社会的部分因子已悄悄地种下，并以决不缓慢的速度在破土萌芽。这些恶势力的萌芽如不得到及时的抑制，就有可能演化为如上海近代黑社会这样的都市之癌。这并非危言耸听。如果拙作能引起人们从近代社会到当代社会的多方面思索，那我们的目的也就达到了。 本书所据史料主要来自解放前出版的报纸、刊物、专录，帮会人物撰写的回忆录、著作，公安系统所存的犯罪档案，及笔者所进行的社会调查。