舊中國的黑社會由清朝三大幫會即天地會(洪門)、青幫和哥老會(紅幫)蛻化而成。晚清至民國以來，以幫會為代表的黑社會勢力遍及全國各地。反動政權、黑社會勢力、與邪惡經濟結合為一體，形成了統治舊中國的黑金政治。新中國成立後徹底肅清了中國大陸的黑社會勢力。從五十年代初期到七十年代末，25年間，黑社會犯罪作為一種社會現象，已在中國大陸絕跡。改革開放以後，黑社會(性質)犯罪重新出現，大體上每10年為一個階段。第一個階段是從改革開放初期到80年代末。其特點是，在大量犯罪團夥出現和不斷增加的同時，有相當一部分犯罪團夥轉化為黑社會性質的組織。第二個階段是從1990年到2000年，其特點是，團夥犯罪向黑社會性質犯罪急速轉化以及黑社會性質的組織加速了自身的成熟化和向黑社會組織轉化，出現了個別的黑社會組織。2000年以後的10年，是黑社會(性質)犯罪發展的第三階段。筆者認為，黑社會性質的組織不斷成熟並向黑社會組織轉化，是該階段的特徵。與此同時，犯罪團夥將繼續大量出現，犯罪團夥也將繼續向黑社會性質組織轉變。出現了犯罪團夥、黑社會性質組織和黑社會組織三者並存和同時向高一級轉化的局面。境內外黑社會(性質的)組織的合流，也將得到進一步加強和發展。只要產生黑社會犯罪組織的原因和條件繼續存在，或遲或早，中國大陸必將出現跨國有組織犯罪。

The underworld forces of evil in China before 1949 was degenerated from three main confraternities in Qing dynasty -- Tian Di Hui (Hong Men), Qing Bang, and Ge Lao Hui (Hong Bang). From the last years of Qing dynasty to the Republic of China, the underworld forces of evil represented by confraternities spread all over China. The reactionary regime, the underworld forces of evil, and the evil economy had combined to form a black-gold-regime, which ruled China until 1949. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the underworld force was swept away completely in the mainland of China. The underworld crime as a social phenomenon had been extinct during twenty-five years from 1950's to 1970's. But after the reform and opening of China, the crime (and /or in the nature) of underworld reappeared, and its evolution fell into three successive phases, by and large, a phase per 10 years. The characteristic of the first phase which was from the initial stage of the reform and opening of China to the end of 1980s is that quite amount of criminal gangs transformed into organization in the nature of underworld while a great deal of criminal gangs emerged and increased continuously. The characteristic of the second phase which was from 1990 to 2000 is that crime of gangs transformed into crime in the nature of underworld rapidly and organization in the nature of underworld matured itself rapidly and then transformed into organization of underworld , so that there had been several organizations of underworld appeared. The ten years after 2000 will be the third phase. According to the opinion of the writer, the characteristic during this period is that organization in the nature of underworld will mature itself constantly, meanwhile, a great deal of criminal gangs will continuously emerge and transform into organization in the nature of underworld. There will be a situation in which criminal gangs, organizations in the nature of underworld and organization of underworld will coexist concurrently and each of them will transform into anther organization at a higher level. The concourse of organization ( and /or in the nature) of underworld outside or inside the mainland of China will further strengthen and develop. Early or later, the organized transnational crime will appear in the mainland if only the causes and conditions engendering organizations of underworld still exist.