Page
SATURDAY JONE 14, 1924
DRINKING EACH OTHER'S
BLOOD.
TRIAD SOCIETY SECRETS REVEALED,
Mysterious Ceremonies Explained.
GLIMPSES INTO THE COLONY'S UNDERWORLD.
(By "Gai Ming" for, the "Chine Mail.).
"If every member of the community entered a Triad Society and kept even a fraction of the thirty-six initiation oaths then the community would automatically become Uopian," said a former official of a now defunct branch of that underwork organisation to-n China Mail man during the course of conversation on the recent abnormal number of police prosecutions of secret societies. Our informant did not, make the statement in so many words but that was what he conveyed in Chinese. It was impressed on him
THE CHINA MAIL.
that if giving information meant violating any vows he could. Itioned above as being in the another oath.." This he does by
remain silent but he only shook his head and replied with a smile that the avowed object of the first Triad Society was the overthrow of the Manchu (Tsing) Dynasty. Thap object having been accom. plished his vows had thereby liäpsed..
AMERICAN FLIERS.
STILL AT TOURANE. PROBABLE THREE DAYS' DELAY.
C
"
This is the latest cable regard- ing the American fliers which was received by the U. S. Consul General this morning and after- wards sent to Mr." Shaw of the
when the cable was despatched. Standard Oil Company,
There is some uncertainty as to
The message is
from Tourane,
preceded by the figures, 10, 11 which might be the time or date.
Mr. Shaw 'inclines to the belef that it is a delayed cable
he does not for
think it would take the destroyer which engine was waitlog, with the at Saigon more than 24 hours to reach Tourane. It is his opinion that the American fliers sho'd be able to leave by Monday
LATER
More recently the societies have are brought out and decapitated devoted their unwelcome atten- the better to impress the new Lions to the uneducated classes, ches that it is their duty to lay Police vigiliince has prevented down their lives for their country. open fights and there has been After a laborious reading from nothing to be gained by one the textbook, no explanations branch storming another's head-being made even to the illiterate,
"Time of departure of planes: quarters. Consequently. these the applicant pricks his thumb from Tourane indefinite. Depends human pests have now diverted with a knife and lets the blood on the replacement of engine to their energies to roping in new trickle into a cup of wine. Others plane No. 2 (Lieut. Smith's-the members. A quarrel will be follow suft ns do the officials and leader). Estimate 3 days after the started and the victim will be told older members present. When arrival of the new engine from that unless he pays a certain sum the fowl has been slaughtered Saigon." to the society, for which he will (and probably quietly handed receive in return the privilege of over to a cook to prepare for the membership, his life will be neld supper of the seniors) and the forfeit. In an endeavour to divert dolls have been executed, all pre- police suspicion, secret societies sent become sworn brothers in selves as clubs, messes for work each other's blood. Here is where have resorted to styling them-that they drink from the cup of men, and even labourers' guiķis. the lapse from Utopian ideala begins. To ensure the newcomer's Mysterious Ceremonies. Nearly all of the regalia mensilence he is made to swear Museum was used for initiation burning a piece of red paper which ceremonies. One belief about the binds him to secrecy and he is free to leave the society's pre- ceremonies is that if they are handled by genuine members themises. However, earlier in the Our "Informant continued that Societies in Kwangtung and Fukien tallow candle sticks which are evening, he has paid over a sum his father had been a Triad provifices. The monks spread their fighted will not spill oil even in of money. If he has been strongly Society man in his time. All his doctrines assiduously, but it was the face of a hurricane. Should recommended he can get in for elder brothers belonged to the not, till the advent of Chan Kun ny stranger get in by any chance the minimum of $2.60, $2 being same organisation and at the arena, who has been hailed, as the those present fully believe the for the society and the balance of fourteen he was made a mem-Prime Minister of Triad Societies. flame from the candle will not be for the expenses of the night. fier. None of them had any desire that their wonderful code and apright. The test is for each one Should he be in trouble and seek 10 become
Associates of evil really honest dortrines were set there to kneel before the candle the society's protection or should characters but because of their down in writing.
He it was who and place his arms around the he be known to have money, the "ewning a factory, in which all the devised all the sign language, stick. Fach dae who has been sam can always be magnified to
will initiated society passes und weird orfaments which properly employers were men, they had no option but to have also become corrupted in through the ordeal but the
Mäng will wonder where the join the fraternity, otherwise it course of time. That he was a stranger will cause the oil to run. word "Trind" comes in. When a would have been impossible for brilliant scholar there is not a It is claimed that this test has person becomes a member, man or vroman, he of she is given the sur- them to run their business peace-dibt äs not two per cent. of the been found to be infallible. fully.
average Triad Society members An initiation ceremony is well name of "Hong." This character In' course of time, he had come can comprehend even half his worth seeing if only for the weird comprises three sections of three arross a good deal of Triad books. Although the movement effects caused by the subdued strokes each. The name "Three Society literature and he had also had become scattered when he lights, the grotesque costumes of Union Society," ie., Sam Hop Wui, seen a fair amount of the seamier made his influence felt his writ the officials and the chanting of became the most popular definition has remained. Many side of the life. If anybody in ings, all in beautiful verse, were the society's history and objects and it Hongkong wanted to See some soon recognised throughout the|into the small hours of the of the signs and movements are gesuipe paraphernalia used by hand. Even to-day when
The chanter gets a based on threes and there are the morning. Triad Society he had only to visit linguage and, dialect difficulty small for for his services and he other minor reasons. The City Hall where an almost separates Chinese from differentis known as the newcomer's complete set, including the highly-villages, and rough more so from mother in that "she" teaches him prized bowl, was kupt.
*
This different provinces, members of now doctrine as though an was secured by the police years Trind Societies sufficiently well-infant had bees. born. Another ago in a raid at West Point whereversed in their creed can always initiation ceremonies were per-converse by the signs laid down in formed in a certain flat every the code. Sunday night. On that occasion the chief of the branch WIS bunished for five years and he is still living in an up-country villige today where he is the master of a thriving barrel shop and has for zaken all his old associates,
secret
་་
pass
་་་
oficial, who might well be styled the Master of Ceremonies, dons a red turban and ushers each appli cant in to a shriek of "The Gates of Heaven Are Open To You," etc. After flourishing a sword to kill all the evil spirits which may beset the junior in his forthcoming struggle for patriotism. he hands him over to the mother. An all.
any.extent.
יו
We are informed by Ameri
can Consul General that the che was despatched from Fusore a 550 pm, on the tith inst. This opinion the fliers should leave for Saigon to day or to-morrow.
L
Anziely Allayed.
The anxiety felt in America as to the whereabouts and safety of the Biers since they leit Hong- kong (as evidenced in a cable from New York yesterday) have been allayed by a Reuter cable from Hongkong to the effect that a message from Haiphong confirms their safety at the places cabled
earlier.
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WUCHOW FEARS.
FURTHER FIGHTING
D1474
1
RUMOURED.
Trae, (From Our Own Correspondent.)
While on the subject. it should be recorded that the genuine Trind Society movement has almost been wiped out in Hongkong. cases have come to light of secret societies, but these are no more than assemblies of underworld bullies who have no fixed premises and act as opportunity occurs: It is believed that three bets of genuine paraphernalia got into Hongkong in the early years. One, as already stated, is safe in the Museum and the other two dis- as ye would that others should do essential feature is the slaying of appeared from the Colony after its onto you" and a doctrine of which ja cock which represents the keepers many vicissitudes. Triad Societies all over China-the most fastidious could be proud. traitor monk. Two dolls, one to those in Britain America, Aus-Religion was not inviteit. The Frejaesent, the Chinese general who exists in villages in neighbouring tralia, ute, being merely offshots oath of striving one's utmost to killed his countrymen to curry provinces but joint action against of the parent organisations at "first kill the traitor (the per-favour with the Marchus, and the the evildoers has helped to reduce home owe their origin to the secuting general) and then to other to represent the Emperor, their influence.
How It Began.
persecution
A. Quaint Code, " Briefly, the foregoing is the origin of the movement. For a time all those who joined went to the greatest pains to comply with their vows. These includor the equivalents of "Do unto others
An
conducted by eradicate the Manchus of whom Chinese gateral a couple of een-i .....(whoever might be Emperor turies app, during the reign of the at the time) is the self-styled much-advertised Kien Lung. This head," is, however, used even bersation was directed againsttoday in the thirteenth year of a famas monastery in "Fukien the Republic. Not only were these province. All the monks in this principles professed at one time monastery, which was known as but they were practised. the Siu Lum, were expert armed robber un visiting a house gymnasts or boxers. They took the occupant of which could by their Lumi daily to light an oil means of the conte reveal that he Lamp which hung a good distance or she was also one of the above the high altar.” One of their fraternity, would always be number who was known as Baramune. A footpad would set up Ling-yee was rated, as the seventh ice stones on a road after the best man in the monastery. Ilis fashion of the five's 'in a pack of favourite way of lighting the lamp cards and if a passer-by knew the when his turn came round was to answer to the query, he would go take a flying leap with a torch in free. If he could repeat the his hand and pass the light over verses relating to the formation the wick at the top of his jump. and the solution he wouki get an The story goes that on a China abject apology. A "brother" in! New Year's Day his turn came peril could always roum - round and he attempted his old material help from brethren."; fent, but accidentally kicked the There were no organized terrors Jarip over. Consternation seized as there are to-day-witness thei the other monks who said that the Tong wars in cities in the United incident portended dire perils. States-one of the caths being When the chief monk got to her always to assist the wronged but of the matter he upbraided the to reprimand those who wrong young disciple for his carelessness even though they be one's father and ultimately expelled him from or brother. Fraternal generosity the monastery. Not long before was another of the precepts this a certain general had incurred strictly adhered to. the jealousy of other generals. through bringing to victory a dis-
оп
Movement In Hongkong. So high were the ideals set
astrous campaign in which the before members that the revolu tion against the Manchus could
verdict was only obtained by the assistance, of the monks. To end
his prestige another general had easily have become an accomplish-
planned a scheme to exterminate
ed fact had not the movement degenerated Petty leaders sut
the inmates of the monastery and themselves up and in course of thereby eradicate his rival's main time they could not resist the support. A labyrinth of walls and a maze of passages, how temptation to put their undoubted powers to malevolent uses. It is
ever, barred access to anybody thought that when the movement but
those familiar with the rat obtained a footing in Hong- monastery's interior. Privations. affected Ma Ling-yee's mind to kong it had degenerated to an
unrecognisable
extent:
The
such an extent that he turned societies became weapons for the traitor and for a trifling reward criminal class who preyed upon which he never lived to enjoy, he the fears of their compatriots. led the general's army into the These evildoers kept up their monastery.
prestige by playing on the super- All but five of the monks were stition of the ignorant and by the butchered, these five escaping, so threat of numbers. There came it is claimed, by an act of the gods. a time when rival organisations, They subsequently met on the all professing to be offshoot of banks of a distant river where the parent society, came into they offered sacrifice to heaven being. They competed with one and vowed to devote the remainder another, in canvassing for mem- of their lives to a campaign ofbera Ench new member meant a educating the Hans. (natives of contribution to the society's China Proper),to-overthrow their funds besides a little cumshaw for Manchu rulers and take revenge the principal officers. Eventually on the general who had brought the rival organizations broke out about the fate of their brethren. Into actual riot on the slightest provocation. All the oaths would Tradition has it that they be forgotten when an influential became sworn brothers before member, promised a nominal sum. they departed. At any rate, the per head if the members of his second brother is said to have particular society carried a fight,. remained in the south and he lausually provoked on a trivial pre- to-day the "patron saint” of Triad text, to a successful conclusion.
Brillant Scholar.
A trace of the movement also
WUCHOW, June 11.
It is rumoured that General Wong the pro-Sun, general in charge at Wuchow is collecting forces for an advance up river in the direction of Nanning. This trade, as merchants are nervous and will not ship their cargo up
rumour is considerably hampering!
river.
Our Wuchow correspondent
•
L1544
ENGLISH RECORDS
W. H. SQUIRE ("Cello)
(DANSE ORIENTALE
THE KISS OF EUNICE ( (ipo Vadinï),
With Piano,
WILLIAM MURDOCH,
Pianoforte...
.
ĮSONATA IN G MAJOR, (lethben-Op. 49, No.2). T-Part 1-Allegão uso non troppo; Parz-Tempo di menuetto.
LEO STROCKOFF (Violin) INTRODUCTION AND RONDO CAPRICCIO50, 871 In Two Parts (17. Hajo-Sačna). THE CHERNIAVSKY. TRIO
398LA SERENATA (Angel's Serenade) ATRIO NO. 7 IN B' FLAT-Scherzs
NEW PROCESS - NO SCRATCH.
writes that the Missionaries Messrs. *** Care and Rex Reay, are said to
(Violin, 'Cello) and Piano
ANDERSON'S
be quite cheerful and to have. received the stores sent to them ♦☀☀☀☀❤DINE 4-6 from Wuchow.
FIRST RIVERBOAT WITH WIRELESS.
Photo by Mee Fong.
Blocks by Nam Sun. Built for the Tung On Steamship Company by the Taikoo Dockyard Co., the .a. "Tung on" was successfully launched on Wednesday. It is the firsf river boat to be equipped with wireless.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR INSPECTS POLICE."
Photo by Mee Fongr
Block by Nam Sen.
Prizes and medals were distributed at the annual inspection of Hongkong Police held, at. the Central Parede Ground on Wednesday. Two of the European sergeants are seen receiving, their awards from H.E. the Governor.
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