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Hutson, James. “Chinese Secret Societies,” The China Journal,
Vol. IX, No. 4 (October, 1928), pp. 164-170; Vol. IX, No. 5
(November, 1928), pp. 215-221; Vol. IX, No. 6 (December, 1928),
pp. 276-282; Vol. X, No. 1, (January, 1929) pp. 12-16.
CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES
BY
JAMES HUTSON.
The following is a free translation from the Chinese, somewhat abridged in parts, of a work
originally written by a Japanese, 平山周, and later edited (訂) and translated into Chinese
under the title 中國秘密社會史. It was published in the first year of the Republic by the
Commercial Press, Shanghai, and is now out of print. For the purposes of this journal, the
introductory matter has been abbreviated and re-arranged. --- Ed.
INTRODUCTION.
Secret Societies all have an objective, and if anyone desires to understand a certain Society
he must investigate history and find the objective of the same as well as the causes which
led to its formation. While doing so he will find much that is vague and valueless, but also
much that is of great interest, and throws great light on the nature of times now past.
The idea of sworn brotherhood had its origin in the Mongol and Manchu regions and
entered China about the time of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Prior to this time we find in
the Western Han period mention being made of the "Red Eyebrows "(赤眉 ), " Copper
Horses " (銅馬), " Iron Necks " (鐵頸 ), " Green Groves " (綠林), " Big Spears " (大槍)
and other fraternities. At the close of the Han period and about the time of the formation
of the Three Kingdoms the " Yellow Turbans " (黃巾) caused some stir in the country.
With the pacification of the " Yellow Turbans " three notable characters came into
prominence in the persons of Liu Pei (劉備), Kwan Yü (關羽) and Chang Fei (張飛),
who swore eternal allegiance to each other in the Peach Garden. These three worthies,
though born on different days in different months and in different years, were willing to
die on the same day and hour in defence of each other. They became the pattern for all
secret societies through the succeeding years.
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About the time of Sung Hui Tsung (宋徽宗) there arose a certain Sung Kung Ming
(宋公明), and Lu Chün Yi (盧俊義), who gathered their followers, one hundred and
eight strong, at the fort of Liang Shan (梁山). In this hall of fidelity they took oaths of
mutual faithfulness, secrecy and obedience, taking heaven as father, earth as mother, stars
as brothers and the moon as sister : they drank blood and took oaths, a practice which has
been followed by all secret contracting parties ever since.
About two hundred years after Sung Kung Ming, the White Lotus Society came into
being.
THE WHITE LOTUS SOCIETY, 白蓮教
The Sung Dynasty ended by Luh Siu Fuh (陸秀夫 ) leading the Emperor Ti Ping (帝昺)
to Kuang Tung in his flight from the enemy forces, where he committed suicide by
drowning himself in the sea, thus opening the way for the Yuan Dynasty to enter the
capital in the person of the Mongol Chief Huh Pih Lieh (忽必烈). The Sung Dynasty fell
owing to the maladministration of the palace eunuchs. From the death of Wu Tsung to
the reign of Shun Ti the whole of the Yellow River region was oppressed through bribery
and corruption, till the people sought by insurrection to rid themselves of the oppression.
The White Lotus Society was originally organized by the ancestors of a certain Han Shan
T'ung (韓山童). In the tenth year of Shun Ti (順帝) this man stirred up the followers of
the society by burning incense and proclaiming that the Mi Lê Fuh (彌勒佛) had been
reincarnated. The result was that in Henan and the region between the Yang Tsz and
Huai Rivers the rustics were greatly excited and believed the report. Then a certain Liu
Fuh T'ung became the prophet and proclaimed that the said Han Shan T'ung was the
direct descendant of Sung Hui Tsung (宋徽宗) and the rightful Lord of Chung Hua
(中華). On a fixed date these two sacrificed a white horse and a black ox, swearing to
Heaven and Earth that they would raise their standard on a certain day and oppose the
usurpers who had entered the country. They adopted a red turban as their distinguishing
mark ; but alas! the affair leaked out and Shan T'ung was arrested ; his wife, however,
escaped with his son to Wu Ngan (武安), while Liu Fuh T'ung immediately took Ying
Chou （ 穎州 ), Ju Ning and Kuang Chou with a force of some million followers. Then a
certain Li Erh (李二) burned incense and stirred the people and with his associates took
Hsü Chou and held it. Then Hsü Shou Hui (徐壽煇 ) with his red turbaned braves took
K'i Shui（ 蘄水） . A Buddhist priest named Yung Yü (鶯玉 ) with others took the
initiative and proclaimed Shou Hui (壽煇) as Lord, with the style of T'ien Wan (天完).
Liu Fuh T'ung took the son of Han Shan T'ung and declared him to be the heir to the
throne of the House of Sung, calling him the "Small Ming Wang " (小明王), with Poh
Chou as his capital, and the style of Sung (宋). Their armies were called Red, or Incense,
soldiers. After this there arose Kuo Tsz Hsing ( 郭子與), Ch'ên Yiu Liang (陳友亮 ),
Chang Sz
page 166
Ch'eng (張士誠 ), and many other aspirants for the places of honour and power, who
styled themselves Wang (王). but at last the man of destiny appeared in the person of
Chu Yün Chang, a Buddhist priest who had joined the army of Kuo Tsz Hsing, rose to the
position of leader and eventually became the founder of the Ming (明) Dynasty.
So the White Lotus Society was formed, or at least developed, by Han Shan T'ung for the
purpose of restoring the House of Sung to their inheritance in the land, but while doing so
there arose many aspirants, and eventually neither of the original parties succeeded, which
is in exact accord with the saying which runs "When the crab and the kingfisher fight, the
fisherman bags both as prey." (Yü Pang Chih Tseng, Cheng Wei Yü Fu Chih Li, 鷸蚌
之爭終為漁父之利 ).
The Ming Dynasty being established in the country, and the minds of the people settled,
the White Lotus Society almost ceased to be heard of for some two hundred years. Then
the palace eunuchs began again to usurp authority and the high officials to work
malpractices to the upsetting of the government and the people. All this was greatly
aggravated by the "blind demon of drought" Han Pa (旱魃). The Manchus took advantage
of this combination of circumstances to invade the country, about the fifth year of the
Emperor T'ien Ch'i (天啓 ).
With the incoming of the Manchus the White Lotus Society again revived, and asserted
itself under the leadership of Wang Sêng (王森), who declared that he had caught "an
elfish fox with a strange scent" (妖狐異香), and resuscitated the society, taking the title of
the Bishop of the Smell-Incense Society (聞香教). The trained bands of this Society soon
filled Chihli, Shantung, Shansi, Szechuan and other provinces. Wang Sêng was arrested
and died in prison, but his son Hao Hsien (王好賢), assisted by others, carried on the
propaganda and meditated open red rebellion at the Mid-autumn Festival. The secret
having leaked out, Hsu Hung Ju (徐鴻儒) started the rising before the date fixed and took
the city of Yün Chêng (鄆城) and three adjoining hsiens, but was defeated and swallowed
up by the Imperial forces. Hung Ju escaped on horseback, but was eventually arrested and
executed in the capital.
After this defeat the ardour of the society was largely cooled and its morale broken. Even
Li Tsz Ch'êng (李自成) and his hordes were scattered to the four winds, and the Manchus
took possession of the hills and vales of China ; it was just like lifting a pair of chopsticks
to eat a meal prepared by other hands.
In the reign of the fourth Manchu Emperor, Ch'ien Lung, (乾隆) rigid measures were
adopted to rid the country of the Lotus Society, owing to the continued unrest caused by
its activities. In the fortieth year of this Emperor a certain Liu Sung (劉宋), by means of
prayers and charms healed certain diseases, and sent deputies to propagate his cult in the
west, and it penetrated into the Province of Kansu. Later, his disciples Liu Tsz Hsieh
(劉之協), Sung Tsz Ch'ing (宋之清) and others stirred up the people of Szechuan, Hupeh
and Shensi to rise in rebellion, but with such an able and beneficent ruler as Ch'ien Lung
on the throne all their efforts proved abortive.
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About the fifty-eighth year of Ch'ien Lung, Liu Tsz Hsieh persuaded Wang Fah-seng
(王發生) to declare that he was a descendant of the Chu family, and to lay claim to the
throne, hoping in this way to stir up popular feeling. The Pretender Wang was seized, but
owing to his youth his life was spared, and he was banished to the New Dominion. Liu
Tsz Hsieh fled, leaving the officials in I Ch'ang and King Chou to round up the rebels,
which meant the loss of several thousands of lives.
Notwithstanding the rigour with which these rebellions were suppressed, we find that
Nieh Tsieh Jên (聶傑人), and Chang Shih Mou (張世謀) again started insurrection in
King Chou, while Tao Tsz Fu (姚之富 ) started in Siang Chou in their support. About the
same time we find Sun Sz Fêng (孫士鳳), Hsü T'ien Teh (徐天德), and Wang San Huai
(王三槐) started in Szechuan, while Chang Sz Lung (張世龍) and Chang Han Ch'ao
(張漢朝) supported them in Shensi. The whole of the western side of the country arose
as one man at this time.
This lasted till the fifth year of Kia K'ing, when the leader, Liu Tsz Hsieh, was taken, but
though the trouble was quelled in one part it almost simultaneously broke out in another,
so, till the seventh year of Kia K'ing the people had no peaceful years, but after that time
things became more settled.
These risings cost the nation much treasure, and much blood was shed before the country
was pacified, and there was no real peace for years.
In the eighteenth year of Kia K'ing there was a rising of eunuchs in the Imperial Palace
under the aegis of the T'ien Li Chiao (天理教), assisted by the Peh Yü Hui (白羽會), San
Hsiang Hui (三香會), and Pa Kua Chiao (八卦教), all of which were offshoots of the
White Lotus Society, which had been suppressed by the officials ever since the time of
Hsü Hung Ju (徐鴻章), and these had secretly grown without the knowledge of the
officials. Though their names differed their objective was the same. The leaders in this
insurrection were Li Wên Ch'êng (李文成) of Honan and Lin Ts'ing (林清) of Shantung.
These two men were students of astrology and were able to forecast important human
affairs, for which reason they were reverenced by rich and poor alike. Liu Ts'ing by
bribing the underlings smuggled a force into the palace, with the idea of arranging a rising
in Shantung and Honan at the same time. On the sixteenth of the ninth moon he
disguised his men as rustics and led them to the vicinity of the Süen Wu Mên (宣武門),
ready to rush the Inner City. These men had weapons concealed on their persons and lay
hidden in a wineshop ready at sundown to attack the Tung Hua Mên and the Si Hua
Mên. Their distinguishing mark was to be a white turban. The eunuch Liu Chin (劉金 )
led the insurrection on the east side, while Kao Kuang Fuh (高廣福) led on the west side,
and a certain Nien Tsin Hsi (閻進喜) was to be traitor and open the way into the palace.
It seems that though Lin Ts'ing had eunuchs as accomplices he made a mistake in
attacking the west part of the city, where many military men had their residences. These
soon closed the Lung Tsung Mên, and in this way barred the entrance of the rebels, thus
throwing their plans into disorder. The second son of Kia K'ing (later the Emperor Tao
Kuang), who with the
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Emperor saw the rebels attempting to scale the city wall by the Yang Sin Mên (養心門),
called upon the eunuchs to bring him a gun, which they did ; but being in league with the
rebels they brought no ammunition, or rather only blank cartridge, for when he fired
there was no effect ; so, becoming aware of the peril they were in, the Prince cut off the
silver buttons from his garments and used them as bullets and killed a few of the attacking
rebels, thus daunting them in their attempt to scale the wall, and causing them to retire in
disorder. They tried to fire the city while retiring, but the Imperial Guard under the loyal
officials frustrated the attempt. The seditious eunuchs were arrested, and those lucky
enough to escape fled for their lives. Lin Ts'ing fled to Huang Ts'un (黃村), north of
Peking, and hid himself, waiting to see what luck his Shantung and Honan friends would
have if they rallied to his assistance. A wily eunuch found out that Lin Ts'ing was in
hiding at Huang Ts'un and took a cart to the village to interview him. He made him
believe that the rebellion had been successful, that the capital had been taken, and that
they were only awaiting him in Peking to discuss plans of campaign in the country. Liu
Ts'ing fell into the trap and accompanied him to Peking ; on the way he realized that he
had been duped, but it was then too late to retrieve the error.
The official at Huah Hsien in Honan found out by means of his secret service that Li Wên
Ch'êng (李文成) was planning to rise in rebellion, so he had him arrested, cut his ankle
sinews, and cast him into prison. When Li's allies heard of this they were enraged, and a
body some three thousand strong burst open the city of Huah Hsien and carried off their
leader and held the city. Their confederates in Shantung and all over Honan rose in
sympathetic support. Li himself being incapacitated from taking the field, sent his
lieutenants to take possession of the regions around the Grand Canal, and other strategic
centres of revenue, with the idea of isolating the capital from the provinces.
About this time General Yang Yü Ch'un (楊遇春) had just succeeded in quelling the
disorders caused by the rising of Liu Tsz Hsieh (劉之協) and was stationed in Shensi. The
Government commanded Yang to proceed with all haste to Wei Hui (衛煇), an order
which he obeyed. Yang led in person some eighty of his picked men to the west of the
canal, dispersed the rebels, chased them to their stronghold and surrounded Huah Hsien.
The old city of Huah Hsien was very well built, the outer wall being of thick brick and
the inside protected by heavy earthworks, in the centre of which was a layer of sand
which stopped the cannon balls and made the city well-nigh impregnable. The
government troops surrounded the city on three sides leaving the north open as a way of
exit for the rebels. At this juncture rebels from T'ao Yüan Hien (桃源縣) entered the city
and carried Li Wên Ch'êng off by the northern route. The imperial troops gave chase and
the cavalry, which had been ambushed for the purpose, cut off their flight. Li, realizing
that the game was up, set fire to the house where he had been taken for safety and
perished in the flames.
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In the following year the White Lotus Society rose in rebellion in Shensi, but the rising
was again quelled by imperial troops. From this time onward the Society as such
disappears from history, though its ideals were still retained in its many branches and offshoots, as will now be mentioned.
In the thirteenth year of Kia King, a decree was issued regarding the offshoots of the
White Lotus Society scattered all over the north-east of China. There were many reckless
vagabonds connected with the Shun Tao Hui (順刀會), Hu Wei Pien (虎尾鞭), I Ho
Ch'üen (義和拳), and Pa Kua Chiao (八卦教 ), which the officials were instructed to deal
with according to the utmost rigour of the law, as they were like a poisonous carbuncle
on society, the only remedy for which was eradication.
The Huah Hsieh troubles were organized in connection with the Chên Kua Chiao
(震卦教), led by Wang Chung of the Eastern Lodge. (Ch'en is the fourth of the eight
diagrams, and refers to the quickening of nature). The followers of Lin Ts'ing (林清) were
connected with the K'an Kua Chiao (坎卦教), and were under the leadership of K'ung
Lao Yie (孔老爺) of the Northern Lodge. These two leaders were both executed in the
reign of Chien Lung.
Then there were the Ta Ch'êng Chiao (大成教), Kin Tan Chiao (金丹教) , Pa Kua Chiao
(八卦教), I Ho Mên (義和門) and Ju I Mên (如意門), which all belonged to the
Southern Lodge, under the leadership of Kao Lao Yie.
There was also the Ts'ing Mên Chiao (清門教), an offshoot of the Shih Fu K'ou (石佛口)
Lodge, under the leadership of Wang Chêng Chi (王正紀). All of these societies were
treated with the utmost rigour and not allowed to have a place of rest; but the most
obstinate was the Li Kua Chiao (離卦教 ), which, under the leadership of a certain Li Pa
(李八), continued to propagate the I Ho Men (義和門), while Pien Erh taught the Peh
Yang Chiao (白陽教) and Ch'uen Pang (義拳幫). Though these names might indicate
some differences, they were all really connected with the Li Kua Chiao (離卦教).
In the twenty-third year of the Emperor Kuang Hsü the Ta Tao Huei (大刀會), a direct
descendant of the White Lotus Society, attacked the German Roman Catholic
missionaries at Yen Chou (奫州) in Shantung.
Then later, the Small Knife Society (小刀會), aroused by the German occupation of
Shantung, stirred up trouble and even sent an ultimatum to the Germans ; the latter
appealed to the Tsung Li Yamen, who were scared at the prospect of such complications
and ordered the Governor of Shantung rigidly to suppress the Society.
The White Lotus Society, which was originally organized to combat the Manchus (北胡),
was now skilfully turned against the foreigners and the Christian Church, and was
organized under the title of I Ho T'uan (義和團), and other names. This rising took place
in the twenty-sixth year of Kuang Hsü (1900). The sectaries were fanatical and believed
that by use of incantations, charms, fasting and boxing,
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their bodies were invulnerable to bullets, while the arts of sword exercise and boxing
were integral parts of their training. The war cry was "protect the Ch'ing and exterminate
the Yang" (扶清滅洋). This propaganda spread with amazing rapidity, especially over the
provinces in North-east China, and so strong was the movement that the Legations in
Peking were barely able to protect themselves. Foreigners were attacked and killed, and
many endured great suffering and privation. Eventually the " Eight Nations Expedition"
arrived in Peking to pacify the country and suppress the rising.
There is also the Tsai Li Chiao (在理教), which is an offshoot of the White Lotus Society.
This sect had its origin about the beginning of the Manchu Dynasty, and was organized by
a certain Yang Lai Ju (楊萊如), or Ts'un Jên (存仁). This man was a Tsin Sz (進士) of the
Wan Li (萬曆) reign and a native of Lai Chou Fu. After the fall of the Ming Dynasty he
studied the Lotus doctrines in connection with the Lung Mên P'ai (龍門派) in Yün Mo
Shan (雲莫山) for three years. On returning home he fell into a trance and declared he
saw the Emperor Shen Tsung (神宗) descending to earth again. He declared himself the
leader of the Lung Mên P'ai and made Lao Tsz (老子) the ancestor of his sect. He first
propagated his tenets in Chihli and Shantung, and with a discipleship of eight founded the
Tsai Li Chiao with head quarters in Tientsin. His chief idea was to unite the so-called
Three Religions into one great organization, by retaining the Fah (法) of Buddhism, the
austerity in practice of Taoism (行), together with the rites of Confucianism (禮). His
objective seems to have been a clean heart, an exercised body, and the restoration of men
to their original rectitude. He forbad wine, but did not prohibit meats, his idea being to
strengthen the body by the use of food, and to steady the mind by the abstention from
spirits ; saying fresh fish and fat meat are palatable and therefore necessary for the human
body. No incense was used, no idol set up : the incantations and charms were chiefly
against wine and smoking.
At the present time the Chengtu representative of this sect is a certain Liu Tsz T'ang
(劉止唐), a scholar of no mean reputation, who lives in the San Hang Tsz near the south
gate. This scholar has written a number of books, and manages the local, if not the
provincial, organization.
In later times the Manchurian robbers were linked up with the Keh Ming (革命) by the
activities of Chang Chi (張繼), Sung Chiao Jên (宋教仁) and others, and so joined in
modern movements.
(To be continued)
page 215
CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES
BY
JAMES HUTSON.
(Continued from Page 170)
THE HEAVEN AND EARTH SOCIETY 天地會
The T'ien Ti Hui began in Fukien Province, in P'u T'ien Hsien (浦田縣), near the city of
Foochow (福州 ). In this district there is a certain Kiu Lien Shan (九連山) wherein was
situated a temple of great renown known as Shao Lin Ssu (少林寺), which was both
remote and lonely, few people finding their way to this out-of-the-way place. The temple
was surrounded by a grove of trees, in the centre of which was situated a pagoda whose
architecture was said to be of a rigid and martial style, and whose top outreached the tops
of the trees. This was known as the Chieh Lan T'ang T'a (枷藍堂塔), and was built by Ta
Tsun Shên (達尊神) about a thousand years ago. The priests of this temple had always
been devoted Buddhists, and in outward appearance differed little from other bonzes, but,
in addition to their priestly duties, they gave much attention to boxing and sword
exercises, which was done on the pretext of being able to protect themselves in their
lonely situation. The name and fame of these priests spread all over the country, so much
so, that any person desiring instruction in military arts and boxing sought the precincts of
this temple, and the Shao Lin Ssu became a school of military instruction.
In the Ch'ien Lung period there was in the west of China a dependency called Si Lu
(西魯), whose Prince rebelled and attacked the western borders. The government troops
were defeated each time the rebels attacked them, so much so that the officials were
helpless. The Emperor Ch'ien Lung offered a reward to any one who could defeat them
and restore tranquility to the west. The language of the announcement admitted of male
or female, priest or peasant, taking advantage of the offer. When the Shao Lin Ssu priests
heard of this they were stirred,
page 216
and a certain Chêng Chün Tah (鄭君達) recruited one hundred and twenty eight well
trained priests who volunteered to exterminate the Si Lu.
These priests went to Peking and had an audience with the Emperor, who inquired as to
their abilities and antecedents. They replied that they were only priests from Shao Lin
Ssu, but there were none of them who had not studied the military art and all were
endowed with ability and prowess. The Emperor was favourably impressed and
commanded that they be incorporated into the Imperial army, and recognized Chêng as
their general. When asked what forces they wanted to accompany them, they replied that
they wanted none, only plenty of horses and food for the campaign. To this the Emperor
also agreed and presented General Chêng with a sword on which was inscribed kia hou jih
shan (冢后日山） .
They at once set about preparations for the campaign, and, having selected a lucky day,
set out for the west. After crossing many hills and waters they arrived at their destination
and began to fit up their defence fort. The Si Lu soon heard of their arrival and advanced
to the attack. The priests were prepared for them and defeated them in the first battle,
and in successive engagements killed their leaders and took their flags and completely
overcame them. The king of the Si Lu, seeing that he had no hope of success, craved for
peace, and promised complete tribal subjection to the Throne and yearly tribute to the
Emperor. During this three months' campaign the priests did not lose a single man nor
weapon.
On their return to Peking the Emperor wanted to reward them according to his promise
by giving them anything they should ask ; but they asked nothing excepting liberty to
return to their temple, only leaving their leader in the capital with a Brigadier General's
rank. The Emperor, however, presented them with scrolls and gifts of silk and many
tokens of his esteem, and when they withdrew he personally escorted them. On their
return journey they were met and escorted all the way to their destination at Shao Lin
Ssu.
At this time there were two officials who meditated rebellion, but feared the Shao Lin
priests, so their first idea was to turn the hatred of these against the Throne. These two
officials, who were named Ch'ên Wen Yao (陳文耀) and Chang Kin Ts'iu (張近秋), now
set about undermining the confidence of the Emperor in the loyalty of the priests and
instilling fear into his mind as to what they might do to the dynasty. Seeing that they had
so easily overthrown the Si Lu, it was argued, it would be a simple thing for them to
overthrow the reigning house. The ruse was successful and the Emperor foolishly asked
these men what they would advise in such a contingency. They begged to be allowed to
organize a secret military expedition against the temple and priests, and engaged, with the
help of four hundred soldiers, to blow them up with gunpowder and burn them to death.
The Emperor foolishly granted their request and they at once set out on their mission to
Fukien Province.
page 217
As has already been stated, the Kiu Lien Shan was remote and the temple secluded and
difficult to find, so that without help it was impossible to carry out their scheme. At this
juncture they found a certain Ma I Fu (馬儀福 ), a former priest in the temple, and in
military prowess the seventh. He was, however, in illegal relations with the wife of their
leader, Chang Chun Ta, and had also led the sister of Chang astray, so for these reasons he
had been driven out of the temple. Being thus expelled, Ma was just waiting for an
opportunity of having revenge on the whole of the Shao Lin fraternity, and so volunteered
to help Ch'en and Chang in their enterprise, being promised official rank and rewards for
his trouble. In the dead of night Ma led the army to the precincts of the temple, where
they laid their powder with straw and wood and set it alight and in a few minutes the
temple was reduced to ruins.
At this juncture the spirit of the founder manifested itself and sent two angels (天使) to
save the inmates, in the persons of Chu K'ai (朱開) and Chu Kuang ( 朱光), who rescued
eighteen of the priests out of the hands of the soldiery. When Ma saw the priests escaping
he called the soldiers to follow in pursuit, but all of a sudden a thick fog obscured the hills
and the pursuing soldiers quite lost their bearings, and allowed the priests to fly towards a
place of refuge. On the way thither the priests had to pass Huang Ts'üan Ts'un (黃泉村),
where the bodies of thirteen of them were left lying on the ground after a battle with the
military, thus only leaving five, who swore that, though they should perish in the fight,
from that time to all eternity there should be enmity between the Shao Lin fraternity and
the Manchu Government. The names of those who escaped were as follows : Ts'ai Tê
Chung (蔡德忠 ), Fang Ta Hung(方大洪), Ma Ts'ao Hsing (馬超與), Fu Teh Ti
(胡德帝), and Li Shi K'ai (李式開 ), and these five became the "ancestors " or founders of
the Heaven and Earth Society. Later Ma I Fu, the traitor, was slain by these five and his
number "seven" forever blotted out of the number of the sworn brotherhood. The five
cremated the thirteen dead and buried their ashes, subsequently hiding in a boat under a
bridge. They left the following day, giving the boatmen a secret password in order that in
future if they met they might recognize each other. Just as the priests were leaving the
village, there arrived a company of soldiers to search for the remaining refugees. A few of
these soldiers, who were doubtless in sympathy with the priests, declared that the five
had already been slain and it was useless to pursue further, thus allowing them time to
make good their escape. Afterwards they escaped to Ch'ang Sha Wan (長沙灣), in Huei
Chou Fu (惠州府 ), where they were again hotly pursued by Imperial troops, and it
seemed as if they were about to be cut off, as there was a river in front of them and no
ferry. Here, again, the Ta Tsun Shên put in an appearance and sent two angels to their
rescue. One carried an iron plank and the other a brass plank, with which they made a
bridge and took the priests over to the Pao Chu Ssu(寶珠寺 ), and from thence to the
Kao Ch'i Miao in Shih Ch'êng Hsien (石城縣 ). The angels accompanied them on the
road supplying them with food and other necessary things, as three of the fugitives were
very
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much fatigued, and without this help could not have continued the journey. The priests
forced themselves to proceed till they passed into the Kuangtung Province and found
refuge in a Yen Wang Miao (閻王廟 ), where they rested for half a month.
After this they proceeded to Ting Shan and found refuge in a small temple where they
unexpectedly met the wife and sister of their leader, Chêng Chün Ta, together with his
sons, Chün Ta himself having recently been strangled by the orders of Ch'ên Wên Yao.
This company formed a small coterie, and Cheng's widow proceeded to her husband's
grave to sacrifice to his spirit. While in the very act of sacrificing, a number of soldiers
appeared on the scene, and she was absolutely without any means of protection, when
suddenly a t'ao kien ( 桃劍)) jumped out of the grave. The woman seized it and
brandished it wildly around, killing a number of soldiers and thus rescuing herself and
family from this very difficult position. On the handle of the sword were engraved the
復日), and two dragons fighting for the gem (珠).
characters Fan Yueh Fu Jih (反
Chang Kin Ts'iu, bearing of the defeat of his soldiers, sent a large army after the family.
Chêng's widow gave the precious sword to her sons and ordered them to flee with it
while she and her sister-in-law, Chêng Yü Lan (鄭玉蘭 ), cast themselves into the San Ho
(三合) River and drowned themselves. Their corpses were found by one Si Ping Hêng,
and buried by the river, but no stone marks their resting place.
The priests, seeing that Chang Kin Ts'iu still pursued them and seemed bent on
exterminating the whole band, determined to have revenge and planned to waylay and
murder him. So they hid themselves in a thick grove and waited an opportunity. At a
time when the soldiers were off their guard the priests rushed in and killed their enemy.
The soldiers, seeing that their chief was killed, turned on the priests, who were now
rescued by five other friends whose names were Wu T'ien Ch'êng (吳天成),Hung T'ai Sui
(洪太歲), Yao Pi Ta (姚必達), Li Wu Ti ( 李武地) and Lin Yung Ch'ao ( 林永超). These
five became the second "five ancestors" or "five tigers," Wu Hu (五虎 ). After this episode
the priests and their friends returned to Kao Ch'i Miao, and afterwards to Pao Chu Yüen
(寶珠院), enduring much hardship and suffering. At this juncture they met Ch'ên Kin
Nan (陳近南), who afterwards organized the T'ien Ti Society. This Ch'ên Kin Nan was a
Hanlin scholar and disapproved of the Imperial burning of the Shao Lin Ssu. He had
decided in his mind that the originators of that plot could never be forgiven ; therefore he
resigned his post in the Government to share the lot of the priests in the field. Ch'ên's
home was in Hu Kuang (湘廣), but he forsook it for the " crane cave," where he studied
Taoism in order that he might lead this company to revenge itself. To do this he became a
dealer in divination and itinerated all over the country till he suddenly and unexpectedly
met the little band in this lonely spot. The priests received him into their quarters. Their
clique was now completed, and they moved to a temple near by called the Hung Hua
T'ing (紅花亭 ) where they took mutual oaths and discussed their methods of propaganda
and procedure.
page 219
One day the priests were exercising by the riverside when they observed something
floating on the waters. On landing it and examining it, it turned out to be a large stone
incense urn. They were much astonished on turning it over to find that on the bottom
復日). There were small characters stating that its
was inscribed fan yueh fu jih (反
weight was 52 lbs. 13 oz., and that it was of white pewter. It eventually transpired that this
urn had been lost from Hangchow. The priests immediately got grass and twigs, as well as
candles and incense, and sacrificed to heaven and besought that they might avenge the
disgrace of the Shao Lin affair. When the grass and twigs has been placed in the urn they
ignited of their own accord, and this was taken as a token of good luck in the enterprise.
When they returned to Hung Hua T'ing they informed Ch'ên Kin Nan of their find and
he interpreted the writing on the urn to mean that the time had arrived to take action; so
that very day the flag was unfurled and notices were sent out calling for volunteers for the
cause.
Among those who presented themselves was a youth with red lips and fine complection,
whose arms were so long that they reached his knees, and whose ears had lobes which
reached to his shoulders. He was very dignified and resembled Liu Pei (劉備) of Szechuan.
All were amazed at his appearance and began to question him as to his ancestry, when it
transpired that he was the grandson of the Emperor Ts'ung Cheng (崇禎) of the Ming
Dynasty, his name being Chu Hung Chu ( 朱洪竹 ). His grandfather, having been
overthrown by the Manchu House, he had joined the company in order to accomplish a
long cherished wish to have revenge upon the usurping dynasty, and restore his family to
its inheritance. The priests, on hearing this, immediately acknowledged him as Lord (主 ),
and selected the following day as a lucky one to sacrifice to the flag. When they were all
assembled under the flag, Ch'ên Kin Nan addressed the company saying that they ought to
select a lucky day in order to sacrifice and make mutual oaths, and establish a bloodcovenant. The early comers were reckoned as the elder brothers, while the late comers
were to be known as the younger brothers. Ch'ên Kin Nan was the "incense lord," and
selected the twenty-ninth day of the seventh moon as the lucky day, and the Hung Hua
T'ing as the lucky spot for the ceremony ; so ever after this date was looked upon as the
birthday of the Society, which is called "The Assembly of the Hung (洪) family." That
night the stars in the sky shed a peculiar light and appeared to read Wên T'ing Kuoh Shih
(文廷國式） . The eastern sky was also red (紅), and as the character Hung (洪) in Chu
Hung Chu's name and that for "red" were of a like sound, Chu's surname was changed to
Hung (洪) with the secret passwords San Pa Erh Shih I (三八二十一 ), forming the
component parts of the character Hung (洪).
Ch'ên Kin Nan was the chief in all the arrangements and appointed Su Hung Kuang
(蘇洪光) to lead the van, and the priests and others to hold the centre. Ch'ên gave orders
to attack the Imperial forces at once, but these proved too formidable for the little band
and they were badly worsted in the fight and withdrew to the mountain fastness of Wan
Yün Shan (萬雲山 ). Here there was a temple named Wan Yün Ssu
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( 萬雲寺), whose head was a certain Wan Yün Lung (萬雲龍 ), a native of Chekiang
Province whose real name was Hu (胡). He had in early years been guilty of murder and
for fear of the law had entered this temple and hidden himself in the priestly garb. His
bearing was martial and his strength superior to most. On hearing of the defeat of the
priests and their little company he asked the reason, and on being told was greatly enraged
and vowed to have revenge on the Manchu dogs and wash out the shame of the young
Ming Prince. Ch'ên Kin Nan, recognizing his determination, recommended him to the
Prince, who called him "elder brother," and immediately took oath to take no rest till he
had overturned the Ts'ing and restored the Ming. On the twentieth of the eighth moon
they again fought the Imperial troops and Wan Yün Lung fought desperately with two
clubs, but, alas! on the ninth of the ninth moon he was shot dead. When the army saw
that their champion was killed they fled in all directions. The five priests hid until the
troops were withdrawn and then cremated the body of their fallen comrade and buried
the ashes, wrapped in red silk, under the shadow of the Ting Shan. In front there is a river
bend resembling the character nine, behind there are thirteen peaks, on the right there are
five trees and on the left one solitary tree as a landmark. Ch'ên Kin Nan deified Wan as
the Ta Tsung Shên (達宗神） , and built a three-cornered pagoda to his memory called a
Wan Nien T'a (萬年塔 ). After the battle the company sought in vain for the young
Pretender, so they decided to disperse temporarily in order to gain time to rest and recruit
their forces, at the same time recognizing that the lucky day for the overthrow of the
Ts'ing and re-establishment of the Ming had not arrived. These brethren travelled widely
and eventually after a few years of propaganda they met in Hui Chou Fu (惠州府 ) at Kao
Ch'i Miao ( 高溪廟), but of the leaders there was only Su Hung Kuang ( 蘇洪光) left, and
even he was said to have died and risen from the dead. This was owing to the fear that
there would not be any one to lead the cause, so they suddenly gave out that Su Hung
Kuang had been resurrected. This was done to stir up the people, who are always glad of
any excuse to believe such stories. The spirit which entered the body of Su was that of a
eunuch named Huang, who hanged himself along with the Emperor Ts'ong Chêng when
Li Tzu Ch'êng entered Peking. This eunuch had been a faithful follower and servant of the
Emperor, and when the Emperor hanged himself on a cedar tree he sought for another
branch to hang himself also, but found none, and, not counting himself worthy to hang on
the same branch, he decided to hang by his master's feet, in this way expecting to be
recognized as a faithful servant and to be buried beside his master in the Ming Imperial
tombs. The family did not take this view of the case, however, and the eunuch Huang
was looked upon as a rebel, so that when his master was buried in the Imperial Tombs his
body was cast out, and his spirit, left uncared for, was wandering in the wilds. At the time
of meeting at the Kao Ch'i Miao, Ta Mu Ta Ssu(嗒摩大師 ) took pity on this wandering
spirit and ordered it to enter the body of Su Hung Kuang, changing his name to that of
T'ien Yiu
page 221
Hung (天佑洪). Thus Su Hung Kuang again took the lead in the San Ho Hui (三合會)
and fought a few battles, conquering seven provinces. Unfortunately the cause failed in
Szechuan and the other provinces also eventually reverted to the Ts'ing.
The San Ho (三合) is the river in which the wife and sister of Chêng Kün Ta drowned
themselves when fleeing from the Imperial soldiers, and the San Ho Huei took its name
from that incident.
(To be continued)
CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES
BY
JAMES HUTSON.
(Continued from Page 221)
THE TRIAD SOCIETY, SAN HO HUI, 三合會.
The Triad Society is an offshoot, or, more correctly, a resuscitation, of the Heaven and
Earth Society. It has several branches, among which may be named the Ch'ing Shui Hui
(清水會), the P'i Shou Hui (匕首會), and the Shuang Tao Hui (雙刀會).
The Triad Society was organized in the thirteenth year of the Emperor K'ang Hsi. The
reasons given for its formation are the official destruction of the Shao Lin temple and the
murder of the priests, and the desire for revenge for the same. If there is any suspicion
that this is not so, it will, at any rate, be found on investigation that it was certainly the
Buddhist religion that fixed its tenets.
The first rising was in Formosa and was led by a certain Lin Shuang Wen (林爽文) of
Chang Hua Hsien (彰化縣). Lin was a recognized leader of the Triad Society, and for a
number of years the people trusted to this society to assist them, and to protect them
from the oppression of the officials. This secret gradually leaked out, and the Governor
sent a General Ch'ai with three hundred braves to exterminate the rebels. Lin suddenly
attacked the garrison and killed its leader and occupied Chang Hua Hsien. After this
defeat the Governor sent a stronger force under a General-in-chief, who attacked on two
sides and completely defeated the rebels. Lin fled to the centre of the island and hid
among the aboriginal tribes, where he met a woman of the society named Chêng Ssu
(鄭氏), who was pretty of countenance and accomplished in the arts of war, an expert
with the sword and bow who never missed her mark. This woman became the leader of
the defeated remnant, and led a company to victory in several engagements against the
Imperial troops ; but she was of a lewd character and could not find a man to her liking.
She, however, took prisoner a military official from the Imperial troops who much
pleased her. On his refusing to cohabit with her she beheaded him and mashed his head to
pulp in a mortar. After this incident the Triad Society was soon defeated in Formosa and
the remnants fled with this woman to Kuangtung, where she was eventually arrested and
beheaded ; but to this day she is venerated in the Island of Formosa, and people sacrifice
to her memory.
In the reign of Chia Ch'ing there was a leader of the Ch'ing Shui Hui, whose name was
Hu Ping Yao (胡炳耀), and who attempted a rebellion in Kiangsi. He had some seventeen
associates in his venture who were all arrested and awarded the punishment meted out to
rebels.
page 277
In the twenty-second year of Chia Ch'ing there were a thousand rebels who were
defeated at Mei Ling, and the Triads had to be continually suppressed by the officials, as
they interfered with the carrying out of official business and the meting out of justice.
In the twelfth year of Tao Kuang, the Yao Tsu ( 猺族) or Yao Tze ( 猺子), located in the
Kuangtung and Hunan mountains, were stirred up by the leaders of the Triad Society to
rise in rebellion. The Imperial troops attacked the Yao Tze because they were in league
with the Triads, and slew some two thousand of their number. On one occasion the
government troops were able to separate them from the Triads, but they succeeded in
reuniting their forces. On a certain night the Yao Tze adopted a strategy used by T'ien
Tan (田單), of the Ch'i Kuo (齊國), who tied swords to the horns of a herd of cattle, and
firebrands to their tails, and made them rush the enemy camp owing to the pain. The Yao
Tze tied lanterns to the horns of sheep and drove them out on to the hillsides. The troops,
thinking that these were the enemy, charged them, and were then taken in the rear by the
Yao Tze and defeated. After this experience the tribes were bribed and returned to their
homes, leaving the troops to deal with the Triads alone, when they soon gained the upper
hand.
Although the Triad Society had little about its prospects to invite people to join it, it was
widely propagated and had a large following, especially in Formosa and in the southern
and south-eastern provinces of China. The society not only terrified the officials in these
provinces, but spread to the islands of the south,* and to Siam and India, where travellers
and adventurers sought its protection and assistance. It also entered the Malacca Straits,
where it committed any and every kind of robbery and murder and terrified the
authorities. Its ramifications were extensive and powerful, and those who were not
members of the society had to toady to its leaders. In South Kiangsi it had a strong
foothold, and, though the officials strictly repressed it, their threats were of no avail and
all were in terror of its reprisals. In the thirtieth year of Tao Kuang the Triads swept
Kwangtung, and the T'ai P'ing (太平) armies followed suit in Kwangsi and penetrated to
the centre of the country.
The leader of the T'ai P'ing armies was Hung Shiu Ch'üen (洪秀全） who was born in the
seventeenth year of the Emperor Chia Ch'ing, of agricultural parentage in Hua Hsien,
seventy li from the capital of Kuangtung. His parents died when he was very young, and
he began early to teach school for a living. He sat for the provincial examinations several
times, but failed. Subsequently he roamed over large areas and sold charms in the Yangtze
and Siang River areas, making friends with those of like mind to himself. In his travels he
met a Cantonese named Chu Kiu T'ao (朱九濤 ), who extolled the Shang Ti Chiao
(上帝教).
Hung and his friend Feng Yan Shan (馮雲山) gave heed and followed its tenets. Chu died
soon after their meeting, and the leadership fell to Hung Shiu Ch'üen under the title of
Chiao Chu (教主). In the
* i.e. the East Indies, etc.—ED.
page 278
eighteenth year of Tao Kuang, Hung with Fêng proceeded to Kuangsi, and resided in the
mountains of Kuei P'ing Hsien, propagating his cult. He met several disgruntled scholars
and out-of-office officials, who joined him in his plots. At this time Shiu Ch'üen was sick
and nigh to death, and was insensible for some days. Suddenly recovering, he declared that
he had now seen a vision and was able to foretell coming events, that great calamity was
about to come upon the land, and only those that followed his religion or became soldiers
in his army could possibly escape death and afterwards ascend to heaven, the place of the
utmost happiness. All who worshipped God, paid a sum of money and offered candles
and incense would be forgiven all past sin and iniquity. All who entered the religion were
either called teachers or disciples ; the males called each other brothers, and the females
styled each other sisters. They also spoke of Jehovah and a Heavenly Father and of Jesus
as their Elder Brother. When they wished to be specially reverent they called him the
T'ien Hsiang (天兄), and Hung himself reckoned that he was the second son of the
Father, and the remainder were either teachers or disciples.
In the thirtieth year of Tao Kuang, Hung Shiu Ch'üen, Feng Yun Shan and Lu Hsien P'a
issued what was called the Chên Yen Pao Kao Chu Shu (真言寳誥諸書 ). While this was
being secretly circulated, they were allowing their hair to grow, and also changed their
clothing to that of the Ming period, which resembles the Taoist dress, and sent their
emissaries in all directions, declaring that a great famine and plague were about to break
out, which moved great multitudes to flock to their banner.
The standard was raised at Wu Hsüen Hsien (武宣縣), where all the aggressive element
had congregated. The whole of the subsidiary branches of the Triad Society united under
Hung's leadership, but, owing to dissension in the camp over religion and practice, a
goodly number retired ; though Lu Ta Kang of Kuangtung followed Hung, and many
people regarded Hung as the leader of the Triad Society, calling him and his followers the
T'ai P'ing Tsei (太平賊) and the San Ho Tsei (三合賊）. This is, of course, incorrect, as
Hung was only the leader of one of the offshoots of the San Ho Hui, and not the leader of
the whole society, and, though their two main ideas, namely, to restore the Ming and
drive out the Man, were at first one, they differed in their opinions as to the growing of
their hair and adopting the garments of the Ming. Also, the San Ho Hui originally sprang
from the Buddhist faith and included some of the Taoist tenets, while the Shang Ti Chiao
followed the tenets of the Christian religion ; therefore, it was difficult for them to unite
in any permanent scheme. The leader, Hung Shiu Ch'üen himself, stated that the aim of
the San Ho Hui was to drive out the Ch'ing and restore the Ming, and that the society had
its beginnings in the reign of K'ang Hsi, but the leaders had not been persistent in their
purpose and had failed. Now he was the head of the Shang Ti Chiao, which had not only
the idea of driving out the Ch'ing, but also of forming a new dynasty with himself as the
T'ai P'ing Kuo Chüin (太平國軍), and in this way alone could they expect to gain the
help of God. But, having gained the help
page 279
of Almighty God, they could overcome their myriads of enemies. Soon there were other
malcontents who joined him, such as Wan Ta Hung of Han Yang and Hung Ti Ch'üen of
Hêng Shan in Hunan, and with their united forces they soon overran the whole of the
Province of Kuangsi. Hung styled himself the T'ien Wang (天王) and his dynasty the T'ai
P'ing T'ien Kuo (太平天國). From the time he took the style of T'ien Wang no one was
able to stand against him, and in due course the southern capital, Nanking, was occupied.
In the twenty-ninth year of Tao Kuang a native of Singapore named Ch'en Cheng Ch'eng
(陳正成） set up a branch of the San Ho Hui in Hsia Men (廈門, Amoy) and called it
the P'i Shou Hui (匕首會） He soon had a following of a few thousands, some say even
many thousands. In the first year of Hsien Feng the existence of these hostile bands began
to perturb the authorities at the capital, who began to investigate the matter, sending a
deputy to arrest Ch'ên Chêng Ch'êng. After arrest he claimed to be a British subject and
the British Consul attempted to save him, but when investigations began to be made he
could not be found. As a matter of fact, he had already died under torture, and his body
had been carried to his home in a sedan chair. Then a certain Huang Wei (黃威) took the
lead of the society, while the officials used the most rigorous repressive measures against
its members.
In the third year of Hsien Feng the officials oppressed the rich who were members of the
Triad Society, and Huang Wei rose up to protect them with a body of two thousand men,
the leaders all being from Singapore. They took two towns near Hsia Mên, when their
following suddenly grew to eight thousand. From this vantage point they took the city of
Hsia Mên itself. Huang issued a proclamation that he was fighting in order to restore the
Ming Dynasty to its inheritance and that he was the general of the Ming forces. He
succeeded in resisting the Imperial troops for some few months, and during that time he
and his men did not in any way interfere with the liberties of foreigners, used enlightened
methods in their warfare and esteemed life as precious, fighting in the day and resting at
night. But, alas! they got short of food and ammunition, while the Imperial troops had
abundance, so the Ming leader took a contribution from the merchants of the city, got on
board a steamer and left the port to the mercy of the Imperial forces. The Imperialists on
entering the city were let loose upon the people and terror reigned. They looted and
killed till their swords were so blunt that they refused to do duty, after which the captives
were bound into groups and drowned in the harbour. There were other unspeakable
cruelties. The British Consul tried to exhort the Imperialists to leniency, but to no effect,
and at last he called for gunboats to come and protect the foreign business houses and the
settlement. In this way alone was part of the city saved. In a few days there were some
two thousand people slain in and around Hsia Mên.
While this was going on in Hsia Mên there was also trouble brewing in and around
Shanghai, under the leaders of the San Ho Hui. It seems that at that time there were in
and around Shanghai about a hundred and forty thousand Kwangtung and Fukien people,
the
page 280
great majority of whom were favourable to the Triad Society, and were under the
leadership of the two notables Liu Li Ch'uan and Ch'ên O Lien, who plotted to take the
city of Shanghai. The plot leaked out, and the officials apprehended seven or eight of the
leaders. This greatly enraged the people from the southern provinces, who sent a letter to
the District Magistrate demanding to know the reason for the arrest of their leaders and
also demanding their release, threatening that if their request was not complied with they
would to cut off his head, after which he would have no space for repentance. The
magistrate was terrified by this ultimatum and immediately climbed down and thanked
them for their communication. On the twentieth of the month, when it was the duty of
the magistrate to sacrifice to Confucius, it happened that the city gates were opened early.
Some six hundred rebels rushed the city gate and then the magistrate's yamen, and
demanded the seals of office. The magistrate replied that these were entrusted to him by
the Imperial Government and it was impossible to comply with their request. If they
must have them they must first kill him and then take them. So they slew him on the
spot, and then attacked the Tao T'ai's yamen. By this time the whole city was in a ferment
and the soldiers were firing on the mob, but to no effect. The rebels forced the Tao T'ai
to produce his seals and then bound him and proceeded to loot his yamen and take
possession of Shanghai City. They wore red turbans as a distinguishing mark, and
afterwards were spoken of as the "red turbans." The rebel leaders discussed the
advisability of killing the Tao T'ai, but the American Consul, Mei Hsia Jih （ 麥轄爾） ,
besought them to keep him in custody only, pending the arrangement of the affair. To
this, however, they refused to accede. Then two foreigners secretly got the Tao T'ai out of
his place of confinement over the wall and stowed him away in the American Consulate.
When the rebel leader heard of this his rage knew no bounds, and he threatened to storm
the settlement. The residents armed themselves for self-protection, and every approach
was rigidly guarded. When the Imperial authorities at Chinkiang heard of the fall of
Shanghai, they said that unless they had guns they could not oust the rebels, and
demanded that the foreigners in Shanghai sell their guns to them. But this the latter
refused to do, deeming their own safety their first consideration. So the Imperial troops
came to take the foreigners' guns, and, coming into collison with the foreign guard, lost a
number of braves in the attempt. The Imperial troops camped on the Recreation Ground,
where they cursed the foreigners. At last the consuls demanded that the Viceroy Hu Kuei
Tsing remove the camp from the Recreation Ground. The Viceroy wavered in his reply,
and then an ultimatum was sent to the effect that if the Chinese troops did not depart
they would be driven out by force of arms. The Viceroy hastened to Shanghai in person,
apologized and arranged for the Concession Guards to assist him in driving out the rebels
from the Native City. This was soon done by the use of guns, which made the rebels flee
in all directions.
In the thirtieth year of Tao Kuang the San Ho Hui rose in rebellion in Kwangtung and
Kwangsi, owing to the success of the T'ai P'ing Wang,
page 281
and by the fourth year of Hsien Feng they had occupied the whole of the two provinces.
Canton was surrounded and besieged by rebels who were on friendly terms with
foreigners. These rebel forces did not abuse the foreign flag as the Imperial troops
continually did when they wanted to transport food into the city. In the fourth year of
Hsien Feng there was a certain merchant who prepared a flotilla of boats to fight the
rebels. He also took men to Fu Shan to engage them. The result was that the Imperial
troops were badly worsted in the fight, many being slain and many prisoners taken. The
officers were soon afterwards released by the foreigners, and only some five hundred men
slain. Afterwards the fleet was used on the West River to fight the Imperial troops and
was successful, in one battle sinking forty-four vessels of the Imperial fleet. The foreign
merchants in Kwangtung were not favourable to the Triad cause, and did not hope for its
success ; but those who were most deeply involved were the British who assisted the
Imperialists till the Triad leaders were scattered and the Imperial troops gained the upper
hand and drove the Triads out of Kwangtung into Kwangsi. The Imperialists when
victorious were like hungry and savage wolves, each day slaying thousands of people, and,
before the Province of Kwangtung was pacified, a million perished by the sword. By this
time the provinces were all in a ferment, and the British and French Joint Expedition took
possession of the capital. The T'ai P'ing General, Shih Ta K'ai, raised the standard of revolt
in Hunan ; and the Triads, heartened by these fresh risings, attempted to raise their
standard afresh in Kwangtung, under the leadership of Ch'en Tsing Ch'ang, who tried to
occupy Canton on the retirement of the British and French forces. After the defeat of the
T'ai P'ings the Imperial troops attacked Ch'ên and defeated him, but many of his
adherents escaped to Canton, where they could not be arrested and continued to
propagate their schemes of rebellion for the overthrow of the Ch'ing Government.
In the twelfth year of Kuang Hsü there were some three thousand rebels of the Triad
Society at Hsü Chou Fu, and some four hundred stone masons who formed themselves
into a company in sympathy with them, but the masons, on hearing of the defeat of the
main body, quickly disbanded themselves.
In the twenty-sixth year of Kwang Hsü, Ch'ên Pei Chên organized the Hsin Chung Hui
(與中會 ), with Sun Yi Shien (孫逸仙) as head, and Hui Chou Fu (惠州府) as the
headquarters of the society, now called the Ke Ming Tang (革命黨 ). They had a
following of some twenty thousand adherents, but were defeated and scattered, and from
that time the Triad Society gradually became absorbed into the Ke Ming Tang, and later
into the Kuo Ming Tang (囯民黨), the chief element of the present Nationalist Party.
The Triad Society had its ramifications overseas, whose aims were not merely antidynastic, but included aid for the sick and transport for the bodies of its deceased
members to their ancestral homes, while funerals were provided for uncared-for and
destitute nationals. This kind of assistance greatly helped to revive the fortunes of the
society and increase its membership. In the South Seas the society protected its
page 282
adherents from oppression of any kind and did its best to secure the release of any
member convicted of crime. It was always against the officers of the law, no matter where
they were to be found. In South China it was only the strong hand of the law that forced
the members to settle down into anything like peace-abiding citizens, and even then they
continued to plot for the establishment of their " no Government régime," (Wu Chêng Fu
Chu I, 無政府主義 ). When pressed sorely by the officials they fled overseas.
In the twenty-first year of Tao Kuang the society's agents in Singapore tried to take
advantage of the complications between China and Great Britain to stir up trouble in
South China. In the South Seas and in all British territory the Triads looked upon all
officials as injurious (hai wu, 害物). The revolution in Siam was engineered by the Triads.
In Australia they rebelled against government measures and caused much controversy. In
North America they carried on assassination and the capturing and holding for ransom of
victims. The North American Branch was even more wicked than the South Seas Branch.
After a crime had been committed and perhaps some one caught, they used secret
methods in continually working for the release of the culprit. No matter where Southern
Chinese settled in the world, they at once established a branch of the Triad Society,
whose chief aim was to oppose or hoodwink the authorities. In foreign places these
culprits when caught were sometimes branded on the face in order that the police might
recognize them at a glance. This was afterwards changed to branding on the wrist and
banishment from the place in question to their own home province. Their opposition to
the authorities was almost entirely based on personal grounds, and when crime was heavy,
executions were carried out, but in spite of all the suppression meted out to them they
were adamant and persisted in continuing their propaganda. There were eight hundred
coolies who helped the British during the war with China in the seventh year of the
Emperor Hsien Feng. These men were all from the Triad Society, and had been imported
from outside countries with the hope of overthrowing the Manchu Dynasty.
After the fifteenth year of Kuang Hsü the San Ho Hui changed its methods of work and
everything was carried on in the most secret way possible. No records were kept of its
meetings or of fines, punishments and death penalties imposed.
The twenty-fourth of the sixth moon was kept by the Triads as the date of Kuan Ti's
ascent to heaven, while the thirteenth of the fifth moon was kept as his birthday.
CHINESE SECRET SOCIETIES
BY
.JAMES HUTSON.
(Continued from Volume IX, No. 6, Page 282)
THE KO LAO HUI, OR KO TI HUI : 哥老會 OR , 哥弟會.
This society as a separate organization had its origin in the reign of Ch'ien Lung, but
became prominent in the reign of the Emperor T'ang Chi. Great impetus was given to it
by the Hunan troops, which had been used to quell the San Ho Hui rising in Kwangtung,
being disbanded in the Yangtze Valley without clothing or money, and, therefore, being in
real want. Some of the men were absorbed by some kind of government employment,
while others became sailors, but the great majority took to gambling and robbery as a
means of livelihood. To these men the Ko Lao Hui was a haven of refuge, and, owing to
their influence, it greatly extended its ramifications and operations.
Their first daring escapade was to rob the brother of Li Hung Chang, who was returning
from an official appointment in Kwangtung by way of the Siang River with a fleet of a
hundred or so boats, full of the fat things of office. They looted eighty of his boats as a
revenge for his meanness in disbanding them without pay or reward, while he had
accumulated enormous wealth during the campaign.
It was a point of honour with these adventurers that they should only take the ill-gotten
gains of the official classes and leave the people entirely alone in their homes and work.
Robbery was called " military service," and gambling, " civil service." Some claimed to be
connected with the Hung family, while others styled themselves the "Reds," and claimed
to be the descendants and successors of the Triads. There were also those who styled
them-selves the Ch'ing Pang, or " Greens ; " these included the Salt Owls (鹽梟)* and the
Smooth Eggs (光蛋), such as composed the Anking Tao Yu Hui (道友會). These fellows
were originally on the Grand Canal transporting grain, and when that transport was
transferred to the sea route and carried by steamers they were left destitute. They then
organized a system of salt smuggling under the leadership of a certain man named Pan, and
became an associated branch of the Ko Lao Hui, in order to carry on their nefarious trade.
There were also the Black Pang and White Pang. The Blacks were entirely occupied in
robbery as a means of livelihood, and were styled the Kiang Hu T'uan (江湖團). The
Whites turned a penny by deception and swindling. These latter two branches of the
society, though amalgamated
* i.e. Smugglers of Salt—ED.
page 13
with it, were despised by the main body. If they did not divide the spoil with the leaders
of the society the latter would hand them over to the officers of justice whenever found.
The aims of the Ko Lao Hui were identical with those of the Triad Society, namely, the
overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty and the resuscitation of the Ming.
When Christianity entered China with a different code of morals and standard of life, this
society purposely put wrong explanations of Christian terms in the Christian books,
adding moral indecencies, and accusing the foreigners of digging out human eyes, cutting
out human hearts, the extraction of gall, the castration of children, all for the mixing of
medicine, as well as inventing other vile stories, which were circulated everywhere and
believed by many. When any member of the Christian Church had a quarrel with nonChristians, the Pastors (foreign), sometime without finding out the rights and wrongs of
the case, took up the cause of the member, and thus created much anti-foreign feeling,
which led to the formation of branches of the society to propagate these feelings of hate,
which were very virulent. The chief centres of this hate were Hunan and Chekiang
Provinces, with the Yangtze Valley as a second, while no province was without its
representatives.
Up to the seventeenth year of the Emperor Kuang Hsü the Ko Lao Hui, though having a
great name, was not taken seriously by the Government, but, from that date things took a
turn owing to the smuggling of arms and ammunition by a foreigner in the Customs
Service in Chinkiang, whose name was Mi Sun (爾遜). From that time onwards all eyes
were centred on the Ko Lao Hui.
This smuggling case had a certain Kuan Hsi Ming (關熈明) as its head, with Li Feng
(李豐) as the second in command. The family of Li Feng was very wealthy, and his
standing very high in society. His father's name was Li Chao Shou （ 李昭壽 ), and he was
a native of the district north of the Huai River. Originally in poor circumstances he had
joined the T'ai P'ing Prince and rose to be a leader in his armies. When the Imperial troops
took T'ien Ch'ang Hsien, he did not fight, but turned over to the side of the Imperialists.
This so greatly pleased the Imperial General Sheng Pao (勝保) that he memorialized the
Government that they reward Chao Shou with a third-rate rank, and the authorities gave
him the name of Shih Chung (世忠). Though rewarding him thus, the Imperial
Government still suspected him, and in the long run for some cause or other they
executed him. This enraged his son Li Feng, who now joined the society in order to
avenge the death of his father. He took some sixty thousand taels to the foreigner Mi Sün
at the Chinkiang Customs station, thirty thousand as a present and thirty thousand for the
purchase of arms and ammunition. Six other foreigners were taken into the secret, and
they secretly purchased arms at Hongkong and smuggled them to Chinkiang. Owing to a
disagreement among the Chinese underlings of the Customs Service over the division of
the rewards to be distributed among them, the secret leaked out and came to the ears of
the Government officials, who arrested the Chinese in
page 14
the employ of the Customs. These then divulged the whole plot. The result was that Mi
Sün was arrested and taken to Shanghai, tried and imprisoned for nine months, eventually
being deported. The next year Li Fang was arrested and taken to prison, where he
committed suicide ; his wives and concubines also committed suicide at the same time.
Kuan Hsi Ming was also arrested and executed and his head exposed along with that of Li
Fêng.
Owing to the failure of the plot and also to foreigners being implicated in it, anti-foreign
feeling in the Yangtze Valley grew apace, and suffering and death were the lot of not a
few. The Shasi riots can be traced directly to this cause, when the Japanese Consulate, the
Maritime Customs Offices, and Jardine, Matheson and Company's premises were all
destroyed. The Imperial officials bore the expense of the indemnity for the destruction.
Because the Government feared the foreigner and suppressed the Ko Lao organization, the
anti-government feeling from this time grew apace. The officials, afraid of further foreign
complications, put all the blame on to the Ko Lao Hui.
In the eighteenth year of Kuang Hsu four leaders were arrested on the Hunan and Kiangsi
borders. Two were beheaded and, while the others were being tried, a mob of a thousand
people attacked and effected a rescue. The mob, however, was soon dispersed.
In the twenty-fifth year of Kuang Hsü, seven of the Ko Lao Hui leaders went to
Hongkong to negotiate with the leaders of the Hsing Chung Hui (與中會) and the San
Ho Hui (三合會) ; these seven leaders represented the Hunan Yin Hsiung Hui (英雄會).
As an outcome of this meeting the Hsing Han Hui (與漢會 ) was organized and Sun Yat
Sen (孫逸仙) was elected the president. This was the first step towards the formation of
the Keh Ming Tang (革命黨）
In the twenty-sixth year of Kuang Hsü the I Ho T'uan (the Boxers) rebelled and caused
much loss of life and property, and eventually the Allied armies had to occupy Peking in
order to pacify the country. At that time the United Hate Society (T'ung Ch'ou Hui,
(同仇會) whose leader was Ma Fu I (馬褔益) arranged that T'ang Ts'ai Ch'ang (唐才常)
should raise the standard of rebellion in Hupei and Hunan, but the plot leaked out and
T'ang and his associates were arrested and executed by Chang Chi T'ung (張之洞 ) in
Hankow. The secretary of Ma Fu I, fearing for his own life, now divulged the names of
the leaders, two of whom were arrested, but Ma himself succeeded in escaping the
punishment of the law, and the remainder of the accomplices, seeing that it would be
difficult to continue with the programme, escaped to Shanghai. That year a certain Li Yün
Hui also came from Kwangtung to Shanghai to associate with T'ang, but, on seeing that
the cliques of K'ang and Liang were in the ascendancy, these two returned to Kwangtung,
and the movement gradually fizzled out.
In the thirtieth year of Kuang Hsü, Ma Fu I (馬褔益) and Huang Hsing (黃與) and others
proceeded to Kwangtung and Kwangsi in order to link up the leaders of the various sects,
but especially the Black and White cliques of the Triad Society. As a result of this
gathering a new
page 15
society was started and was named the Hua Hsing Hui (華興會). The yearly subscription
to this society for the rejuvenation of China was one dollar, and when one million had
been collected it was to be spent on buying arms and ammunition.
Shortly after this Lu Ya Fa rebelled in Kwangsi and succeeded in taking the city of Liu
Chou ( 柳州), and capturing five thousand foreign rifles. When the Viceroy prepared to
crush him he called upon Ma Fu I to come to his assistance from the Province of Hunan,
where the latter was at the time organizing the Hua Hsing Hui, and, though the
organization was far from complete, the opportunity was not to be lost, a great gathering
of leaders being held at Liu Yang (瀏陽). From the four winds the thirty-six chief "Dragon
Heads " and the thirty-six secondary " Dragon Heads " were called for a great conclave. At
this gathering it was decided that a rising should take place on the 10th of the 10th moon,
but this also reached the ears of the authorities and the leader Ma Fu I was arrested and
beheaded outside the walls of Liu Yang. Thus the rising of Lu Ya Fa came to nought and
he himself was arrested and executed.
In the thirty-second year of Kuang Hsü the P'ing Hsiang miners caused trouble. These
men were all members of the Hung Kiang Hui (洪江會), the Triad Branch of the Ko Lao
Hui as organized by Ma Fu I. At this juncture Ma really formed the Keh Ming clique
(革命黨）and led the miners from P'ing Hsang into Hunan, taking Li Ling and Liu Yang,
and aiming at taking the provincial capital of Changsha. This movement made a great stir
as Ma Fu I styled himself the second T'ai P'ing Wang, with a special decree of heaven to
redress the wrongs of his ancestor. He called upon all and sundry to be of one mind, act in
accordance with the will of heaven and to bring the deserved retribution of Heaven upon
the rulers of the land.
The Governor of the Liang Kiang sent two thousand braves to P'ing Hsiang, and the
Viceroy of the Liang Hu sent three thousand to Liu Yang, but owing to the government
troops being in sympathy with the rebels they fired their muskets into the air, or threw
their weapons away and ran before their enemies. It was thus very difficult to suppress
the rebels. At last a brigade of heavy artillery engaged the rebels in ten battles, when the
ammunition of the revolutionary forces becoming exhausted, they had to scatter.
The Ko Lao Hui sentiments were originally anti-foreign, and it has only been the
introduction of the Keh Ming influences that has in any way modified it and kept it from
being such now. It was at the rising at P'ing Hsiang that the new policy of protecting
Christianity was first put into practice by what they styled the Keh Ming Ch'ün, which
was a great change from the past policy of the Ko Lao Hui.
In Chekiang Province the Ko Lao Hui was decidedly anti-foreign. In Ch'u Chou there was
a certain Wang Kin Pao (王金寳) who formed the Shuang Lung Hui (雙龍會). In Ku
Chou a certain Liu Kia Fu called it the Kiu Lung Hui (九龍會). At P'u Kiang a certain Tu
Yu Yung called it the Ts'ien Jên Hui (千人會). In Ning Chou a certain
page 16
leader called it the Pei Pu Hui (白布會). All these leaders sooner or later suffered the
extreme penalty of the law and left their task unfinished. There were also the Chao Hsing
clique under Chu Chao Kang, called the P'ing Yang Tang (平洋黨 ), the Shen Hsien
clique under Ko Wên Kao, called the Wu Tai Tang (烏帶會), and the Chin Ch'ien Tang (
金錢黨 ), Tsu Tsung Kiao (祖宗教), Pei Tze Hui (百子會 ), the Hung Ch'i Hui (紅旗會)
and the Pa Ch'i Hui (白旗會). All these were anti-foreign in their aims and anti-Christian
in their practice, and were determined to take away the powers possessed by the Church.
Then the Keh Ming influence entered and the blame for the overbearing demeanour of
the Church was put down to the wicked oppression of the Manchus, and thus the antiforeign and anti-Christian hate and energy was turned against the ruling house, and the
former feelings to a large extent were mitigated.
Then T'ao Ch'êng Chang (陶成章 ) and Shen Ying (沈英) called the leaders from the
provinces of Fukien, Chekiang, Anhui, Kiangsu and Kiangsi to meet at Hangchow, where
the Lung Hua Hui was formed. Thus the Triad Society was absorbed into the Keh Ming
Tang, and the Ko Lao Hui became subject to it, and so this clique gained the ascendancy
in the whole country.