The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-31
ORIGIN OF The BOXERS
japanese Paper Traces 1t Back One
Hundred and Fifty Years.
4 Po1itico-Raiigious Organization.
Once Interdicted, But Now in
Power by Joining the Anti-For-
eiEn EIcmcnt-The Triads Appar-
emily Secret Society of Thieves.

ing that the Boxers society was OF rec at
origin, one which has sprung up in China
within the last few years. The Japan
Weekly Times" in It's issue of June go.
has an article which traces the origin OF
the Boxers hack to the middle OF the
eighteenth century. The article is as fol-
lows:
we recently had occasion to venture a
few remarks upon the origin and history
of the I-hwa- tuan (the Poker assoc.ation),
a subject which is now of more than pass
ing intereat and importance, but about
which so little is known. We have since
then come into the possession of some val
liable information about the origin OF the
association and the circumstances urder
which the present anti-foreign explos on
has been brought cut. The information
we are now going to reproduce is embodied
in the reports to The ToA Dobun-kgi. OF
Tokyo, from Mr.. NJ. Inouye, Of Shanghai.
and MIR. II. Nishimura. director of the Chi
nese paper, 'Kwo Wen Pao,' at Tientsin-
two gentlemen who. it cannot be denied,
enjoy exceptional facilities for keeping
themselves gu courant OF passing events in
China.
According to these authorities, the L
hwa-tuan Is said to have been evolved out
of that celebrated secret association which
is known in the north by the name of
Peh-hen-hui white Lily Society and in
the south by the San-hoh-hui Triad So
ciety). Like its mother association, it is
politico-religious organization with very
simple tenets and strict internal regula-
lions, the details of which are sealed
book to those rot belonging to it. All
that is known to outsiders is that its mem
beers practice the art OF boxing and pro-
fess that, in virtue of . certain Incarnation
which they recite mentally, their person is
rendered proof TO bullets and lethal weap-
oGs.
First Historical! Mention.
THE first historical mention of them oc-
ours about the mld5le OF the eighteenth
century. under the reign OF the Emperor
Kienlung, when their organization went by
the name Of ihwa-men- patriotic
Harmonious Seed. But it was not until
the time of the Emperor Kiaking that the
Boxers began to attract the attention of
the ruling power. At the beginning OF that
Empe7or's reign, they were discovered 10
have obtained a strezg footing in the
country districts On the borders of Shan
tung and Honan, and their activity 50
rapidly Increased tina: their sect or asso-
citation was interdlcted in fsG9. but in spite
OF occasional prosecutions they have since
then steadily increased in power anG MN
bers.
I'm the early days OF its existence the
political tendency of the az ISOLATION was
antagonistic to the existing dynasty, and
its whole energies seem to have been di-
rected TO its overthrow. Lstterly. how
ever, taking shrewd advantage OF the
growing friction between native Christians
and nOn-conyerts, the Boxers have iden-
tilted themselves with the latter's cause
and adopted opposition tp the foreign creed
and its professors as their principal rais0n
detre. Still mC-e recently, to ingratiate
themselves with hose in power, they have
adopted the popular legend Of Hing Using
mich yang up with the dynasty. Down
with foreignersD.
''As to the alleged close connections be
tween the Pekin court and the Boxers. our
iHformants entertain no doubt on the sub
ieot In the first place, Il is significant
circumstance that the open ma uifestatiOn
of anti-f0re.gn activity by the Boxers coin
cides with the appearance OF Prince Tuan
on the political stage at Peltin at the be-
ginning OF the present year. We may here
refer to an incidental description of that
important parsonage. Prince Tuan, we
are told. is a comparatively young man
of little past fifty years. strongly built,
and with a commanding r9esenee
During the past few years he has been
assiduously cultivating the acquaintance
OF all classes Of men, and there are said
to be several other traits in his character
that differentiate him from the other mem
bers Of the imperial family Evidently he
is man Of lofty ambitions. for it is wide
ly whispered that, since the appointment
OF his son as heir apparent. his aspira-
lions mount no lower than the imperial
throne itself. Be that as It may. there
can be no room for doubt-so We are told
that ne is deeply implicated in the present
Boxer agitation.
To make his connection with the Boxers
still E2ore clear. 1t is stated that their
leader, notorious adventurer who made
himself conspicuous in connection with an
insurrection in Honan some dozen years
ago. has been staying with the Prince at
his palace in Pekin fer the past two years.
during which time they are supposed to
have secretly plotted and intrigued to-
gether. Our informants think it highly
probable. as is generally believed In we'll
known circles. that the ambitious but in
experienced Prince is a dupe in the hands
Of the artful I-hwa leader. who has an
object Of his own In riew in the present
conspiracy, which Is no other than getting
himself in power at court. Whichever
may be the greater dupe. there seems to
be no doubt that these two men are at
present working hand in hand.
The Dowaser Empress.
with regard to the Dowager Empress.
it does not appear that she has been priyy
to the intrigue from its commencement At
all events neither Mr.. Nishimura nor Mr..
lnOuye makes any allegation of the kind
They assert. however. the present fatal
policy of the Pekin Government toward the
Boxers has her entire approval and sane
ton. They state that this policy was de-
initely adopted at Cabinet council in the
palace on the 9Th instant. On that occa-
sion the proposed policy was warmly ad
voeated by Prince Tuan, Prince Ching
KGng-yi, and Chao Sukiao. while Yung Lu
and Prince Ii were against 1t and Wang
Wenchao kept silent aud did not say a
single word either for or against it.
IF this account OF what took place at
the alleged Cabinet meeting is reliable. we
are sorry TO find Prince Ching, who has
hitherto been considered n moderate con-
servatiye. in the same camp with Prince
Tuan and the rest OF that group. He is
however, a trimmer Of trimmers, and vas
doubtless quick to discern the growing
change in the scale OF political power at
court.
AS for the future prospects of the
agitation, our iaformants are inclined TO
take an extremely serious view. The pres
ent leader Of the Boxers formerly resided
in the South and had some connections
with the K0lao hui. so that it is justly
feared that the latter may at any moment
join with the Boxers. Moreover the peo-
pie in general are very much excited by
their strong superstitious belief that when