The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-13
CHINA'S SECRET ORDERS
Empire Well Supplied With Oath,
Bougd BPOtherh0ods.
Responsible for Many Revolutions
Triad Society the Most Important
Survived the Most Determined At
tempts 10 Stamp 1t Out-Attaciss In
creased Its Membership Greatly.

/ Emma Is nCneyconDeu Dy secret societies,
no one who has not Travelled ar1 spent
years in the Flowery Kingdom can fully
realize the extraordinary extent TO which
they affect the national life. The Boxers,
although they are now the most important
of such organizations, are by far the most
recent, and were until their attack on the
missionaries almost unheeded even by
those who make a special study of condi-
tons il, China. 1t surprises no one, how
ever, who .nows the country to find that
the crisis for which civilization has been
so long waiting is preeipitated by secret
society. The highest authority on this
! subject, the learned Schlegel, in his great
work on the TienTi Hwey, or Triad So
| ciety, expresses the belief that the Tai
ping rebellion was largely brought about
| by similar means. the Triads then firing
the mind as the Boxers are doing today.
| The society, hitherto the most important
in Chinese annals, beside which the Boxers
are of mushroom growth, is that called
the T'ien-Ti Hwey, more widely known as
the Triad Society. For years this organi-
cation has been the terror of Chinese Of
fcials and q thorn in the flesh of every
city where Chinese are domiciled in large
numbers. Its origin is yelled in antiquity.
! Their catechism says that ''since the foun-
dalton of the earth was laid" il has ex-
isted; that it is the offspring of the union
OF earth and heaven. 1t dates in its pres
ent form from the year 1864. twenty years
after the invasion and conquest of China
| by the Manchus. Its symbol is the TRAN
gle, representing heaven, earth. and man.
Scnlegel almost believes it to be a sur
yival OF the ancient religion which was
supplanted by Buddhism Its moral code
is pure in theory but not in practice. 1t
is a wonderfully organized body. capable
of defending its members and destroying
its enemies even in foreign country.
The Tipping Rebellion.
The instigation of the TAPPING rebel
lion was the most creditable act OF the
Triad Society, questionable as that may
have been. Its methods are generally I'M
demanded and contemplate. and the mem
beers deyote more time to quarreling
among themselves than TO taking active
measures toward the relief of their coun-
try. Their society government is practi-
caily a reign of terror. The branches of
this vast organization spread wherever
there are Cinnamon, and have been a fruit
full source Of trouble to such colonial Gov
ernmeuts as those of Hongkong the Straits
Settlements, the Malay Peninsula, and the
Dutch East Indies Civil war Is incessant
The most desperate fighting will occur be-
tween different branches OF the Trad all
uniting. however. to attack members of
another race. In such ARRAYS Manila has
been seized and held by the Traid Society,
and scores OF times the Spanish garrison
has been called out to restore order In
Banjermassin. in the Dutch East indies,
hundreds of lives were lost in simiiar
fights.
Next in Importance to the T-ien-Ti
Hwey. or Traid Society comes the WI
Wei Keaou. The name is variousiy trans
lated as "DoNothing" or mo Hypocrisy"
This is not so old or so widespread an
organization as the T'ieD-Ti Hwey, but is
not to be despsed as political factor on
that account. Although it has few, if any,
branches outside of China. it is within the
Empire even more dreaded than the Trad
itself. The predOminating influence in this
society, ar the time Of its formation, seems
to have been religion. The members are
vegetarians, and follow various customs
which have a religious origin.
Hate the Mnnchu Dynasty.
This society also hates the Manchu
dynasty. and is ready to overthrow it at
any opportunity. In 1910 they nearly sue
ceeded The palace at Pekin was to be
blown up with gunpowder, and although
thousands were concerned in this conspir-
acy. no word of it reached one Of the royal
palace. Everything was successful, and
there might now be no Manchus the
throne of China. had il not been for lack
of presence of mind on the part Of those
appointed TO apply the torch. The lights
for some reason went out. and in the con-
iusicn some terrified conspirator cried that
the guards were upon them. thus alarm
ing the sentries and bringing about their
own undoing.
The KoLao HweY or League OF the
Elder Brother is yet another organization
designed to overthrow the power of the
Manchus. This dates from the TAPPING
rebellion il is related that Gen Tseng
KWo-fan himself established it at the siege
of Nankin. But this body does not. like
the two before mentioned seek the re-
establishment OF the Ming dynasty, over
thrown by the Tartar. 1t looks farther
back, to the original Chinese rulers, the
Tang dynasty. which ruled over the Sons
of Han in ancient days. 1t is distinctly
a military organization, and in spite of its
apparently patriotic purpose is a gang of
disreputable scOuRdrels. 1t is the most
active OF all societies in propagating its
peculiar doctrines. Its emissaries over
run the country disguised as doctors.
carrying news and making converts. This
society was in 1891. the probable insti
gator of serious riots against foreigners in
central China Catholic property in seven
important centres was burnt down, as was
also a British consulate and various pri-
vate houses. Many lives were lost. includ-
ing those of a missionary and British Of
fetal.
Pledged TO Aid One Another.
The form of government differs in the
various leagues. That of the Triads is
democratic. or comparatively so. There
are five grand masters ruling over the
five lodges OF FOkien. Kwangtung, Yunan,
Human, and Chekiang. This governing
body controls the society, all sharing
equally in the power. They have almost
absolute authority over millions of Chi
nese, abroad as well as at home. The pow
er welded by such an organization, the
members Of which are pledged to conceal
one another's crimes and to support a
brother against the police, even by per-
jury, can well be imagined. The Ko-Lao
Hwey is. in It's general scheme of govern
ment like the Triads, but the Wu-Wei
Keaou is ruled on the principle of an abso-
lutte monarchy, with one head. responsible
to no one. These organizations have to an
extent divided China among themselves,
the T'ien-Ti taking Hokien, the Wu-Wei
Keau1 Nankin, and the Ko-Lao Human
and Iicuan. They are not restricted to
these districts, but have their chief
strength there.
The form of government within the
lodges is pretty well known. Societies on
such familiar terms with the police can
hardly hope to remain absolutely secret.
Each lodge is governed by a president a
vice president, master, two introducers.
one fis3al who is styled the Red Stick