The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01

| Using and restore the Ming!'' They
| straightway determined to obey the COM
mand thus mraculously conveyed, and
mixing their blood with wine they drank
| 10 the destruction of the Manchus. Thus
| vas formed the Water Lily Sect, which
has been the mother of all the secret So
| :ieties. except that of the Boxers. which
| have threatened the rule of the Manchus
and endangered the very existence Of the
| Empire during the present century.
The long reign of KEN Lung, the wisest
| IF the Manchu rulers, gave little cause
and no opportunity for aggressive action
on the part of the new brotherhood. but
the reign Of his successor, Kia King,
outbreaks occurred in Shantung province
inder the direction of the White Water
Lilies, and in 1893 the assassination of the
Emperor was openly attempted in the
streets of Pehin. The outrage was rightly
or wrongly charged to the White Water
Lilies. and edict was published making
heath the penalty for membership. This
penalty was to some extent avoided by
hanging the name of the association as
1ften as the necessity arose. II was called
the Then tie hwuy, The Celesto-Terres-
trial Society, or the Society That Urites
doayen ard Earth" and later to the
San no hwui, THE Society of the Three
United" from which comes the name
Triads." ty which the society has been
most commonly known. The three unit
ed are heaven, earth. and man. Another
name was Hung Kai. or Flood Family"
signifying that its membership should
overflow the land. A new society also
arose in the reign Of Kia King known as
the Green Water Lilies.
Under various names and sometimes I'M
der none the operations OF TIE society were
carried on with remarkable vigor and dar-
ing. Instructions continued during the
reign of Kia King. and in 1919 another I'M
successful attempt was made upon the life
Of the Emperor There was little open &C
tivi:y during the next reign. that of Tauk
wang (tS2c-.0l. but the Triaas were quietly
fomenting the, great TAPPING rebellion,
which in 1850, plunged China into civil
war lasting fifteen years. which was finally
Cuelled with the help of Gen. Chinese
Gordon. The TTiads have since been DOR
mant if not dead; yet .heir spirit was re-
incarnated for time in the Kolao Hwui,
Il society formed of veterans OF the impe-
rial troops VINO had been engaged against
the Taipines. n Unlike their predecessors.
however, they attacked not the Manchus,
but the white foreigners and occasioned
the rising against the whites in 1889 and
1880.
Startling Midnight Ceremonies.
The avowed purpose of the Triads was
the dethronement of the Ts'ings, but the
was drawn mainly from the
dregs of society and their practical activity
lay largely along the line of burglary, rob-
berry, and murder and in all the vicissi-
tudes CT their dangerous calling they were
faithful TO each other and to their oath. /
Their motto was:
The blessing rcciprocally share,
The woe reciprocally bear.
The impressive ceremonies attending !
their initiation were conducive to fidelity, |
In the dead OF night the novice was
brought before the assembly often gath
cred in the depths of a forest. and as a !
ceremony was obliged to prick
his finger with silver needle, allowing
the blood TO drop into a bowl of wine,
which he then drank. The written oath,
of twenty-six parts, was next
read TO him, and after he had sworn the
oath was burned as an offering TO the
gods who were supposed to visit the rem
egade with terrible vengeance. The no.
vice was then made to cross the bridge
which consisted in his standing under
meath two naked swords held over his
head by two brothers, while the presid-
ing officer or elder brother heard him re-
affirm his allegiance The new member
then wrung off a cocks head. saying:
Thus may l perish if the secret l di-
vulge.
Although the Chinese are noted for their
few have broken this oath.
The penalty for treachery was, OF course,
death, inflicted by one or more members
chosen for the mission, as is the custom
vita the Russ. an Nihiiists. Like the Free
nasors, the brethren were able to make
themselves known to each other by secret
signs and passwords, and could thus COM
runicate among a crowd without excit-
ing suspicion. One of their signs was the
picking up Of an object with three fin
gers, signifying the three united of he
rriads Peaceful and timid subjects were
orccd to Join by means Of letters threat
ming death as the penalty for refusal ,
md travellers We're often kidnapped on the .
highway and initiated out of hand ,
The Triads are no more, and this present :,
reed of Boxers seems to be entirely DIFF
erent in origin and purpose.-New York I
Jun.