New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
CHINESE FREEMASONARY.
A MYSTERIOUS LEAGUE OF SECRET SOClE-
TIES AMONG TIE CELESTIALS.

How hl9n UOlheT ID '"'' io"s''
AS high as our eyes can see
How broad, brother. is this lodge =
As broad as two capitals and thirteen PROV
inccs."
These words are n part u the ritual OF the or
canizotion voriouslv known as the "Tien-li'
- Heaven and Earth" or Triad the greatest
% the secrct societies Of China. They are IN
tended TO express the greatness of the SOCIETY :;
the first answer meaning, as high as heaven "
self" and the second, as broad as the WORTH
This is hypcrbole Of course. Yet II Is also
sfrictpst truth For TO the countless members OF
the "Trind7 it's laws are supreme an'hori'v' oo'h
in worldly and In spiritual affairs so tha' 'ney
really reach up 10 heaven; while II Is also 's
broad M the world. for il has its mem"'rS anu
exeris lis sway in every quarter oil the giooe'
The recent anti-foreign riots and reNoiu'iona'!
movements in China called attention anew 10 tese
mysterious organizations. which werc o'nso" WIN
responsibility for all the trouble. Do"o.leSs the
charge was Just But no effort OF the Imperla'
Government will succeed in supprcssiDg the Soce-
ties The Government has been trying 10 40 tha'
for many years indeed, for centuries l. 10
capital crime TO belong 10 the "lrlod III NiI'''u'
Yet that society has more than thrV n''i''o"
members and is growing in strength ana n"'"ori'
every year In the Dutch end spanish s','e-
ments the death penalty IL prescribed against
its members vet il tlonrishes Here in the Straits
Settlements. the British Government has ni'''
great efforts TO crush it, A special law against
il was promulgated three years ago, ana Specla'
officer. known as the Protector of the Chlne"'
WIS charged with the execution Of II. "ha'
hos been the result? The Protector OF the
Chinese in his official report, Just Issued, practi-
callv admits the failure of the law. The lrlad
no lorger onenlv exists But in secret il is as
strong AZ ever Its spirit, It's traditions. survive
and flourish. and is members In Singapore are
literally innumerable Last year more IMAM
10000 Chinese came hithcr. and 1t Is estimated
that more than half of the men were members oil
Tie "1'riad
Why il This society interdictcd? So far as
China itself is concerned, the question is easily
answered H. is q reasonable orydnisation Ihe
VERY object Of its foundation and OF tic existence
IS 10 overthrow the present dynasty. which Is
Mancln-Tartar and to restore the old. pure Cbl-
ncse dynasty. 1t was in lG44 that the Manchu-
Tartars gained possession OF the Imperial Govern
mcnt Just thirty years later the Irlad was
founded.
The story Of the origin Of This society. as told
bv It's adept members, IL as follows: The Manchu
Tartar invasion occurred in lGii. Twenty years
later. other Tartars. the Eleuths invaded the
Tartar Emperor made desperate appeal TO the
people for support. Buddhist priest. OF llok-
KEN. named Kim-Tat organized army OF
monks and drove the Ecuth- Tarfars before him
In the very hour Of victory. however. km-lat
was Murdered By a traitor. who 30 maligned him
10 the Emperor that the latter ordered all The
monks 10 be slain and ;her monastery burned The
monks all slain but five These five escaped ana
found refuge in temple. WHERE they lived Tor
several eyars One day they vcnturcd out. and
were walking along the bank Of the Sam-Po River
when they bchcld a porcelain tablet mIrnculou7ly
floating on the water. lmpeed by an unsccn power.
il came toward them. aud they picked II mp. ln-
scribed upon u they found these words: Drive
out the Cheng; restore the Beng" that is. drive
out the Manchu- 1Artars and rs'0re the native
Chinese dynasty" Then the tablet trans
formed into bird and flew away.
The five monks pondcred long over the fnys
'crious message. They had accepted the Manchu
Tartar Emperor. and sworn allegiance IL him
They had even fought for him and saved him
from his Elcuth foes. But had lac not slain their
leaders and their conrade'. and sought 10 slay
them? Even now. were they not outlaws. hidins
for their lives SO they decided 10 obey 'hr
command. aud 10 turn against the Emperor who
had already turned against them. ThcrcupOn
number OF other miracles occurred. confirming
and encouraging them In their resolution. Five
horse dealers Joined their hand, and then the hottest
hermit in all tie Empire. And while these
eleven were conspring. the bird came flying back
and lighted among them. md Immediately was
re-tranSforned into the porcelain tablet. So they
swore their vows over the tablet and adopted IT.
motto as The rule Of their lives.
Others now rapidly joined them. until they
were able 10 muster n large army. Guided by
the miraculous tablet. they found the truc heir
10 the throne. n grandson of thr last native En-
peror They worshipped him as the Son Of lIca
ven. and then marched sgainst the Manchu-Nr-
tar Emperor Their leader n giant. named
Ban-Lung. Al n place called the Mountain Of
the Phoenix they met the Imperial army and.
after a hard battle, routed II. But their leader
Han-Lung, was slain, and the tabci-brd, flying
to the side Of the next In command. Kin Lam
Whispered 10 him that the time for successful
revolution had not yet come. Therupon Kin
Lam called his victorious soldiers about him, and
repeated to them the message. Inspired or
prompted by the bird. h. todd them that II secret
league must be formed 10 complete the work they
had attempted. SO, on that very spot. the " ! RAD"
or "TicnII" Was founded. Then they all dis
pcrsrd = their homes. And the growth OF their
organization very rapid. In few years IL
comprised millions of members, and dominated
the social life Of the Empire. The Manchu-Ilr-
tar Empcrors knowing its object, have Issued
decree after decree against il. Death Is the
penalty for belonging 10 il, and very painful
death. to boot This penalty has been dealt ont
10 thousands. Yet. it has not deferred millions
from Joining the intcrdictcd league. II was.
the world knows, the Triad which organized
the TAPPING rebellion, the greatest war Of modern
times. in which millions Of lives were sacrificed
I hc magnitude Of TINT struggle shows the Irad'sr
power. II would have succeeded then, had II not
been for General Gordon, who took. command Of
the Imperial hosts and transformer bratcn de
mOraized rabble into the Ever Victorious Army
But the next time. ms members Of the "Triad"