明中葉以後因社會、經濟等各方面的變化，使傳統的社會階級、倫理觀念鬆動，因而引發了一些社會問題，如社會風氣暑靡、健訟、扛孀、詐財、游手增多、無賴集團的出現等。 明中葉以後出現一些由地棍無賴組成的集團，這種無賴團本身有極濃厚的利益色彩，在利益重於一切的情況下，任何道德規範幾乎沒有存在的空間，也沒有特定的意識形態，為了生存不擇手段，橫行鄉里，為害百姓，所以與祕密社會是一有段差距的。無賴為了生存不擇手段，由於這種不擇手段的做法，衍生出明清無賴集團活動的多元化：有以勇力替人做事的，如「打行」；有藉訟詐財、破壞社會秩序的，如「把棍」；也有藉散布謠言為害地方的，如「窩訪」；諸如此類皆是。 本文所要探討的無賴集團－「窩訪」，就是利用當監察制度，趁御史出巡訪察時，藉著散布謠言來達到詐財、要脅或報復某人的目的，本文將針對窩訪的掘起背景、迫害對象、勾結對象及社會影響等方面做一檢討，希望能藉此增進對明清社會基層活動的了解。

　　　　　After the Middle of Ming Dynasty, traditional ethic and social ranks and were loose for changes of social and economic background. Some social problems, therefore, appeared, like dissipated, litigious, swindles, more and more unemployments, and more the gangs of rascals emerged. The gangs that composed by rascals or ruffians, emerged for a very important purpose, profits. In order to procure more filthy lucre, all villanies they would do to their vicinages; and there were not any ethic or doctrine could embarrass them, so these evil gangs were not similar to the secret societies. Because they would do any thing benefit to themselves, there were various styles of evildoing. A tough guy would be a muscleman to fight for his boss, this kind of gangs called “Ta-Haang” (gang for fignt); some made threats by bringing in lawsuit against victims for procuring money, called “Pa-Kung”; and some others racketeered by rumors and imputations, they were called “Wuo-Fang”. The subject of this study, Wuo-Fang, was a kind of gangs who racketeered or revenged victims by rumoring and imputing while the Royal Censors (a kind of itinerants) coming to check and preside local governments. I shall examine the background, victims, parterners, and influences of Wuo-Fang in this study, for the purpose to understand the life of mobs of ancient China.