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Art. VI.—The Chinese Secret Triad Society of the Tien-ti-huih

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2011

Newbold A.D.C.  and
Wilson C.B.
Wilson C.B.
Affiliation:
Madras Army.
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Extract

Various associations have long existed in China, of which secrecy was at an early period the prominent feature, since the jealousy of the imperial government declares the association of even five persons to be illegal, and punishes the crime of belonging to these associations with death. Among these fraternities may be enumerated—1st, the Great Ascending Society; 2nd, the Society of Glory and Splendour; 3rd, the Union of the Three Great Towers, viz., Heaven, Earth, and Man; 4th, the White Jackets; 5th, the Red Beards; 6th, the Short Swords; 7th, the White Water-Lily; 8th, the Sea and Land Society; 9th, the Righteous Rising Society, &c. The third of these associations, which, from all that can be gathered, assimilate in their origin, is the one that prevails in Canton, and obtains almost exclusively in the Straits of Malacca, and the vast islands of the Indian Archipelago; and which will principally form the subject of this notice. It is commonly known under the terms of Tien-ti-huih, or San-ho-huih, and is sometimes divided into two branches—the Canton and Fokien, to which provinces most of the Chinese emigrants belong. Those from Canton, are, I believe, by far the most numerous. Other societies or Kongsis exist, with the benevolent object of raising funds for the assistance and support of those among their number in distress; but they are almost all subject, more or less, to some of the objections that exist against the Tien-ti-huih.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society , Volume 6 , Issue 11 , January 1841 , pp. 120 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1985

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References

page 120 note 1 Remarks on the Mode of writing Chinese Names, &c. in these AISS.

1st. The continental pronunciation of the vowels is adopted.

2nd. The vowels are to be enunciated distinctly when two or more come together, except in such obvious diphthongs ns au, ai, ou, ci, &c., and therefore the diæresis (¨) is dispensed with.

3rd. ie is not a diphthong, the two vowels being invariably pronounced separately.

4th. u always like oo, long or short, as in too, or good. The long sharp sound of u, as in pure, is indicated by iu, and not, as is usually done, by ow an in hew.

5th. The Mandarin pronunciation is observed throughout.

page 135 note 1 “This word e, righteous, is used by rebels to denote their setting up the standard of right against their unjust governors. Hing, also, often signifies a rising of troops. That the ‘Triad Society’ is, as far as China is concerned, combined for the destruction of the reigning monarchy, has been fully proved by MS. documents belonging to them, which have been found in Maeao.”

page 136 note 1 Amongst the secret tribunals of Germany, the candidate appears before the assembled brethren, and kneeling down bareheaded, takes a solemn oath of secresy on a naked sword and halter. After a variety of questions and the rites of initiation have been concluded, the president reveals to hint the secret signs of recognition. The inauguration of the Templars was conducted in secret; none but the knights of the chapter were allowed to be present. Questions, similar to the above, were put to the candidate by the master, and an address made to him, warning him of the difficulties he would have to encounter.

page 137 note 1 Original in Hie Society's Library.

page 137 note 2 An imprecation, taken from the Sun kwoh, vol. ii. p. 13Google Scholar, small edition. The book of oaths is headed with the following preface:— “From the time of entering the Hung-Mun (door of the society) the customs and rules must be observed and the thirty-six oaths, and handed down to the descendants of the Hung-Kia.” Hung-Kia literally signifies “the Hood-family,” and is a favourite name by which members of the Tien-ti-huih designate their society.

page 137 note 3 Thick riee-water—the poor man's fare.

page 138 note 1 A heavy wood, well known at Malaeea.

page 139 note 1 “This book of rules is kept by the Tai-ko. The striet and often literal sense of the original Chinese, is first given within inverted commas, their explaining paraphrases by myself, or others, are subjoined. Such as are regularly headed by the word ‘comment,’ were given by an initiated Chinese to Lieut. Newbold.”— Note appended by Mr. Tomlin to his translation.

page 142 note 1 One of the secret signs of the Fehm-Gerichte, of Germany, was turning the point of their knives when at table towards themselves.

page 144 note 1 “Il est vrai que du tems de Tehim-Khis-khan, la Chine étoit partagée en septentrionale qui comprenoit environ le tiers de eet Empire, et en méridionale qui étoit composée des deux autres tiers. La septentrionale étoit possedée par lun Empereur Tartare, et la méridionale par un Empereur Chinois, qui payoit un gros tribut an Tartare, qui par ee moyen pouvoit se dire Souverain du Khatbai, on de la Chine entière. Pour hien comprendre ce partage de la Chine, il fact reprendre les choses de plus haut. Tçao-tçao, le plus fin politique de son siècle, pour m'exprimer à notre manière, et le plus grand fourbe qui fut jamais, pour parler comme les Chinois, s'étoit rendu maitre de la personne do l'Empereur Han-hien-ti et de l'Empire. Les Hioum-nou (ee sont, à ce que jo erois, les Huns), étant déchus de leur ancienne puissance, et divisés entre eux, vinrent se jetter entre ses bras, et lui demandèrent des terres. Tout le rafinement de sa politique ue put l'empêcher d'etre la dupe des Tartatres. Il fit pour lors à l'égard des Hioum-nou, en leur assignant des terres dans la partie septeutrionale de la Chine, la même faute que fit l'Empereur Valens, 160 ans après, e'est-à-dire l'an 376, à l'égard des Gots, qu'il reçut dans la Trace. Tçao-tçao leur lit distribuer des tcrres dans d'excellens pays, l'au 216 de l'Ere Chrétienne, pensant en faire un rempart à l'Empire, et à lui un degré pour monter au Trône, ou son ambition le portoit depuis longtems. Ils se tinrent, près d'un siècle, en repos; ils rendirent même de bons services à l'Etat. Mais dès qu'ils virent leur nombre multiplié, et qu'ils curent pris une connoissance parfaite des alfaires de la Chine, ils deferèrent de pleine autorité à leur Chef le titre de Rey, l'an 304. Le suecès enfla le courage au Chef, et il se fit proclamer Empereur quatre ans après.”—Observations sur la Chine, par Visdelou, M. Claude, p. 16.Google Scholar

page 145 note 1 It is not a little curious that the secret societies of Germany used formerly to hold their meetings in orchards, gardens, or the neighbourhood of trees, from which they derived their distinctive appellations. For instance, the pear tree tribunal, &c.

page 146 note 1 This is the title of the original MS. which evidently embodies the principal rules of the Tien-ti-huih, artfully interwoven with frequent allusions to the three Celebrated heroes and their famous exploits, as recorded in the history called the San Kwoh, or Three Kingdoms. The whole is thrown into a poetical form, made up into a little book of twenty-four pages, as a convenient vademecum of each member of the Triad Society. (A copy of the original is in the Royal Asiatic Society's Library.)

page 146 note 2 On the North.

page 146 note 3 On the East.

page 146 note 4 On the West.

page 148 note 1 Tsau-Tsau had previously conquered and taken Kwan Kung captive, released him. On the present occasion, Kwan Kung requites the favour releasing Tsau-Tsau.

page 149 note 1 Peking and Nanking.

page 149 note 2 Formerly the Empire was divided into thirteen provinces, but now into eighteen.

page 149 note 3 The above illustrated from the San Kwoh. “Tsau-Tsau having conquered Liu Pi, and taken his wife and children captives, he shut up Kwan Kung with them in a small room, hoping to tempt the latter to commit adultery with Liu Pi's wife; but Kwan Kung virtuously resisted the temptation, having lighted a candle, he sat down to keep watch at the door while the mother and children slept, and amused himself by reading.”

page 149 note 4 In modern imperial phraseology “recorded with th Vermillion pencil.”

page 150 note 1 The above illustrated from the San-Kwoh. “Liu-Pi having conquered and shut up Tsau-Tsau with his army, resolved to put him to death, but his wise counsellor, Koh-Liang, knowing that Kwan-Kung wished for an opportunity to requite Tsau-Tsau's former kindness, in allowing him to escape, he advised Liu-Pi to send his second brother Kwan-Kung.”

page 151 note 1 Soma remarks on “the eight Sien” or Genii, of the Chinese, extracted from a native work on the subject.

“The Sien are benevolent and virtuous; frequently interpose in human affair3 for the benefit of good men, and to encourage them in the path of virtue. They have been known from the earliest times, under all the dynasties, but none of them are worshipped except one— Tung-Pin, the tutelary God of Barbers. Their residence is various, usually on lofty mountains, or in the clouds; sometimes they lightly tread the waves, and can penetrate to the remotest verge of heaven, and the bounds of the sea. They can soar ou the clouds and ride on the misty vapour, travelling tell thousand li in a day.

“They can transform themselves into men, and occasionally appear in the character of a priest of Tau, or of Buddha; and even condescend to become beggars (Fakirs?) and Lepers! and thus unknown to men, they do many virtuous deeds and encourage good men to imitate them, and rise to the dignity of Sien.”

page 154 note 1 The three renowned dynasties, viz. the Ilia, Shang, and Chiu.

page 154 note 2 U Ti, i. e. the Emperor U, otherwise called Shun, one of the earliest and most celebrated of the sages and rulers of China.

page 154 note 3 Probably this indentical writing with the seals is given to a member of the Society on going to another country.

page 155 note 1 The ancient Greeks sacrificed a cock to Nox—the Chinese do so at the present day to Yin, the destructive, or female principle, as a most solemn imprecation of divine vengeance, in case they violate their word, or declare what is not true.