Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-29
CHINESE SECRET socIEzfEs
Ever, on,.A nan 1eie-<. to o..-Ar.
Not ANR6itical.

Every cn,,.n Re1ou to on.-Ars
Not AR6litical.
From the London Mail.
We are from time to time reminded Of
the existence Of secret societies in China
by the fact that their members engage in
periodical outbursts which often assume
fanatical proportions.
Even those who possess but a passing ac-
quaintance with the people Of China are
familiar with the names of the Triad
and the Water Lily" societies; but few
who have not actually come into contact
with the Chinese are aware that every
Chinaman belongs to q society or guild Of
some kind.
The majority of these are of a COM
mercial nature resembling the trades unions
in Europe; but many exist for purely po-
litical purposes. The famous wide-reaching
San-ho -hoey, or Triad Society, the society
of the three united departments of nature
heaven, earth and man-repTesents, or did
originally represent, the F'reemason-y of
China, having FOR its professed purpose
mutual aid and assistance political
bias has. however, always appertained to
1t, and It's suppression has become creed
of successive Chinese governments The
Lien-hwa, Water Lily Society, has, how
ever, for its declared object the restoration
of the Chinese dynasty. 1t has no philan-
thropic cloak. but all who hold to it's tenets
and join its ranks are the sworn enemies
OF the present Manchu dynasty They cher
ISL the known descendants of the Ming en-
perors much as the Jacobites did the
Stuarts, and only await an opportunity to
place the present representative of the last
Chinese or Ming sovereign once more on
the throne.
Many other societies, with more or less
declared political aims, exist. and one of
these. the Boxers is at present making its
presence felt. 1t is only within the last
few months that this society has found it
CaI G rDltr ttnt
revolt and to attempt to attain its aim and
cbJect-namely, to uproot the Tartar
Manchu dynasty, now misruling China.
Foreisners of all nations also are objects
OF their antipathy, and China for the
chinese is their watchword. The name
Boxers is of course. an English interpreta-
ton of their title. and their Chinese name
has not yet reached us. Boxing and GYM
nastic associations have existed from time
imBaemorial in China. and the fact that the
present rebels possess arms of any kind,
except what they can steal Or com
mandeer' from the Manchu soldiers with
Whom they come in contact, would seem to
justify the title they are popularity known
by. Every successful invasion of China
and there have been many-has advanced
through the very country the Boxers are
new raiding. 1t is through the province of
Shan;i. in the extreme northwest, that the
Tartar hordes first found their way into
China, and now the Boxers are advancing
along the same path.
reasons. reasons other than political, which
have determined the people of this district
rising in revolt. The northwest of China is
gradually but surely becoming a desert
The uncomfortable water of the Hoan-Ho
the Yellow river. is with persistent regu-
larity Overlooking its banks, devastating
the country and leaving behind a deposit IF
sand carried down from the Monaghan
deserts.
The inevitable consequence Is that the
whole country is becoming desSiccated. and
a previously fertile country is now almost
treeless and verdurcless The desert is al
most within sight of the walls of Pekin.
and it will not he long before Pekin and
the district around it will be enveloped by
the sandstorms of the encroaching desert.
1t frequently occurs that rebellion is as
cribed to political eNigences when the real
reason is to be found in the want of food.
The Boxers as a political faction are but
enc of the many revolutionary bodies that
have come into existence owing to the
chaos into which the Chinese government
has fallen. 1t differs from the association
to which KOng-Yu-Wai and Sun Yat-Sen
belong inasmuch as these refOrmerS wish
to introduce a monarchical or republican
form of government based on European
principles. Sun-Yat-Sen's mission to this
country was to try to induce the British to
allow his party to work out its own sal
walton. which he believed could be done if
British assistance would not be afforded to
the present government. as happened dur
ing the TAPPING rebellion.
The Young China party breads another
"Chinese Gordon being sent to aid the
of China was thrown back for half Il CEN
tIIrv