The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-26
CHINA'S SECRET SOCIETIES.


Described by M Guimet, Who Made a
Careful Study of the Celestials.
/ There is hardly a man better ac-
quainted with the hidden sides of Chi
nese life than M. Guimet, the eminent
explorer and founder of the well known
Museum of Religions erected in Paris q
few years ago. M. Guimot, after hay
ing made a large fortune in Lyons,
| France, as silk manufacturer, became
enthusiastic over the far east, and on
his way to and from China and Japan
he passed through New York, where he
spent few days, accompanied by bis
young friend, Felix Regamey, the illus
traitor and painter. After having spent
many months in the far east, and pur-
| chased there a complete collection or
historical and religious things M Gut
met placed them in the Museum of Reli-
gions, built in Paris for the special per-
manent exhibition Of these mementos Of
| China and Japan. AS he was univer-
sally known as an expert in far eastern
| questions, he was interviewed by Par
Is paper, the 'Matin," in regard to the
Boxers and the secret societies in Chi
ma He said:
| Some of them are very innocent. For
| instance, the religious or semi-religious
| societies like 1.-THE Peace Mountain" and
| 1.-THE Assembly of the Aromats.
There are also philanthropic societies..
The confrerie. or brotherhood of the
abandoned Bones" which gives bur-
ial to bodies deprived of funeral honors,
which are more precious than life for
every good Chinaman: the society of
the Magnolia Flower" which is a kind
of occult pawnshop. Other societies are
for mutual protection, like those of
Guardian of Crops" Of Cereals, of Law
Suits and Of Nocturnal Vigils, the latter
to insure mutual protection against
robbers. One Is called Society of the
People Who Beg While Walking" The
most numerous and fiourishing of the
societies are those having for their OBJ
feet robbery in all it's forms; for in
stance, the Society of the Mounted
Robbers 1.-THE Cutting Sabres' 1.-The
Petty Jugglers'' and THE Donkeys'
Salt Merchants"
But. above all others, are looming up
two great societies, Of which the Boxers
are only a branch and the aim of which
is both brigandage and politics. They
are the white Nuphar" and the "True
and IDEAL" The White Nuphar. or Sin
communicable doctrine"-Pel-Lien in
Chinese language-dates from the sec
ond century, before the Christian era.
1t was founded by "literatus" of
Shan-Li Province, named Ly, after the
terrible conspiracy Of the yellow
Caps" directed against Emperor Lun-
I'll, The society was composed at first
of three armies, each having special
emblem-white, blue or red nuphar.
The object then was to avenge the
death of twelve hundred literati put to
death by the emperor. Later on the
society deviated from It's original policy,
and 1t is now mainly recruited among
the lower classes, those precisely who
despise the intellectual literati The af- |
filiated members are bound by redoubt- |
able oathS. They swear faith and abso- |
Lutte obedience to the orders of their |
chiefs, under penalty of death and |
eternal eXecration in case of perjury. |
In contradistinction with the customs of |
China, where women are generally |
treated as slaves, they play an impor-
tant role in the White Nuphar. But
they must conceal their utilization from
their parents and their husbands.
Young women are readily accepted as
especially when they are pret-
ty and attractive.
The White Nuphar has a hierarchy,
an administration and an army. like
government 1t is ever ready to assume
power At the bottom of the scale are
the Experts of the Rites" then the
Law Doctors,' the presidents of JUS
tirp - n No "a |
Governors of Provinces These have a
royal household and are eventual rebel
lions The Kings are elected by the
who support them by obliga-
tory presents, wbich are given at night.
On the anniversary of their advent to
power 1t is a curious spectacle to see the
ong cortege Of the subjects bearers of
heavy bags, who proceed toward the
palace of the King as soon as the
night Waterman has struck on the tam
am the hour of the third watch.
To influence favorably the recruiting
he leaders of the white Nenuphar"
'esort to all kinds of jugglerles. They
nave instituted worship of gold, silver
precious stones. keys. locks and boxes
valuabes. They reveal to the
candidates the fate Of their dead pa
entS or relatives. To do it the priest
Sneels down upon bed, closes his
yes, breathes air three times very nois-
ly, in order to purify his body and |
makes complicated signs over his face
md breast. Then he falls into ecstasy,
e talks with the Mother without ori-
in" and when he seems as having re-
overed his senses announces to the ne
phyte that his relative belongs to such
nd such category of the happy beings
n heaven.
The True and Ideal society Is quite
MODERN, hardly sixty years old. It was
ounded by an ''illumine," q kind of fa-
ir, named Tchang. Its apparent OBJ
acts are purity, virtue and contempt 4
or other societies, In fact, it is a mil .
airy association whose members are
ways under arms, They are distin-