Amongst overseas Chinese, the word kongsi was applied to reference both clan organizations, whose members shared a common descent, and to district-dialect clubs, for Chinese immigrants originating from the same district speaking the same dialect. In the late 19th century, these district-dialect associations came to be known as wui gun (huiguan; ), especially in San Francisco, California where many Chinese from eight districts on the west side of the Pearl River Delta near the City of Canton went for the California gold rush.
