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Chinese Six Companies (Chinese: 六大公司) refers only to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in San Francisco, California. The six original Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Associations in San Francisco were already operating as separate entities with some degree of mutual coordination before the first Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association was formally established in 1882.

The goal of the six companies was to protect the Chinese interest. The white man’s government had no intention on protecting the Chinese rather suppress them.

When tensions arose between Cantonese people of different dialects and districts, the association split into two groups, which became the first two of the Six Companies. Later, four additional organizations appeared in the 1850s, with offices in prominent neighborhoods in San Francisco.

The Six Companies consisted of the six most important Chinese district associations of California at that time: the Sam Yup Company, Yeong Wo Company, Kong Chow Company, Ning Yung Company, Hop Wo Company, and Yan Wo Company. Among their early efforts, they attempted to deter prostitution in the Chinese community, to encourage Chinese immigrants to lead moral lives, and to discourage what they described as excessive continuing Chinese immigration creating hostility toward Chinese already in America. The six Companies also provided assistances such as creating a safety net for Chinese workers, helping out when they were sick, leading them money when needed. They also opened a Chinese-language school settled disputes amongst members, maintained a Chinese census, and helped send remittances to members back to their home villages through district associations. In 1875, they endorsed the position that continued Chinese immigration was resulting in a general lowering of wages, both for whites and for Chinese already in America.