but I'd think twice before messing with some Dongbei folk. Provoking people in Changchun, Dalian, or Shenyang is not a good idea, especially mafia types.

Exactly my point. A lot of them got "relocated" to inner mongolia, much like the "scum" of the USSR got relocated to Siberia, it is a barren wasteland where they send the trash.I agree that southern chinese are a bit of a pushover, but I'd be wary of provoking any chinese person these days, given the nationalism is so high. Good luck in viet.