been allied to something like freemasonry, and to have aimed simply at mutual aid and assistance; but as the numbers increased, their views degenerated from the laudable ends of reciprocal benefit to violence and robbery, the overthrow of government, and the acquisition of political power by the expulsion of the Tartar dynasty. In foreign colonies, as at Batavia, Sincapore, and Malacca, the real or pretended branches of the association exist, and their objects are mutual defence, as well as plunder and other dishonesty. They engage to defend each other from the attacks of police-officers, and to assist members of their Society in escaping from justice. If any one feels himself injured, the others take part in his quarrel and help him to revenge himself. Still the professed design is merely benevolent, as appears from their motto, which is a distich with this meaning :— "The blessings mutually share, The management of the combination is vested in three persons who are denominated ko, elder brethren, in the same manner that freemasons style each other "brothers." Of their internal discipline, Dr. Milne could obtain little information. The Society's regulations are said to be written for greater security on cloth, which on any emergency may be thrown into a well, or otherwise concealed for a time. The ceremony of initiation is said to take place at night. The oath of secrecy is taken before an idol, and a sum of money given to support the general expense. There is likewise a ceremony called kuo-keaou," passing the bridge," which bridge is formed of swords, either laid between two tables, or else set up on the hilts and meeting at the points, in form of an arch. The persons who receive the oath take it under this bridge, and the ye-ko, or chief brother, reads the articles of the oath, to each of which an affirmative response is given by the new member, after which he cuts off the head of a cock, which is the usual form of a Chinese oath, intimating, "Thus perish all who divulge the secret." Some of the marks by which they make themselves known to each other consist of mystical numbers, of which the chief is the number three. Certain motions of the fingers constitute a class of signs. To discover if one of the fraternity is in company, a brother will take up his teacup, or its cover, in a particular way with three fingers, and this will be answered by a corresponding sign. They have a common seal, consisting of a pentagonal figure, in which are inscribed certain characters in a sense understood only by the initiated. Except in their dangerous or dishonest principles, the San-ho-hoey bear a considerable resemblance to the society of Freemasons. They even pretend to carry their origin back to remote antiquity under another name. The members swear at their initiation to be fraternal and benevolent, which corresponds with the engagement of the freemasons. Another point of resemblance is in the ceremonies of initiation, in the oath and the solemnity of its administration. These are so striking as to merit the attention of such as deem the history of freemasonry worthy of investigation. Dr. Milne goes on to observe that the signs, particularly the use of the fingers, as far as is known or conjectured, appear to bear a resemblance. "Some have affirmed (says he) that the great secret of freemasonry consists in the words 'liberty and equality,' and if so, certainly the term heung-te (brethren) of the Triad Society may be explained as implying the same idea. Whether there exist any thing in the shape of lodges in the San-ho-hoey, the writer has no means of ascertaining, but he believes the Chinese law is too rigorous against this body to admit of any; nor does there appear to be a partiality for the masonic employment." Branches of this association have spread over most of the islands and settlements in the Malay archipelago. They have sometimes impeded the execution of our laws at Sincapore against Chinese culprits, and the rapid increase of that portion of the population may hereafter render them dangerous, unless the most summary measures are adopted for their suppression. The cautious policy of the government of China, ever on the watch to prevent the possibility of political associations under a religious exterior, allows no temples or other institutions of that kind to be erected that are not strictly orthodox, or which come not either within the Confucian doctrine, or the tolerated sects of Fŏ and Taou. In 1824, the Emperor issued this edict:-"To delude the people with unorthodox opinions is a great contravention of the laws. According to the report of the censor, a fane has again been erected to the superstition of Woo-tung, at a place three miles to the west of Soochow Foo. In the reign of K âng-hy the fane was destroyed, and the idols burnt, and for a long series of years the superstition has been suppressed; but the sacrifices are now offered as before. The witches place a pretended confidence in the predictions of the spirits, and promise a fulfilment of hopes and desires." This was in fact an oracle, such as the weakness of human nature has given rise to in many other countries. The Emperor goes on to say, "Let not the simple people be permitted to offer sacrifices or to associate with the votaries of the superstition. Let the magistrates issue instructions to the heads of families to exercise a rigid control over their dependants. Let the whole sytem of false worship, calculated only to delude the uninstructed populace, with its burning of incense, and collection of subscriptions, be followed up, whenever it is detected, with severe punishment, in order that the public morals may be preserved, and the minds of men set right." The description of the city of Canton, already referred to, gives a short account of the principal licensed temples, which may be considered as samples of what are to be found in most other cities of the empire. "The Kuângheaou-tse, or temple of 'resplendent filial duty,' is one of the largest, and stands within the walls, near the northwest corner of the city. It is endowed with a consider able quantity of land for the support of its priests or inmates, who amount to 200 in number, and is said to have been built as long ago as the period of the 'Three Kingdoms,' A. D. 250. Another temple, having attached to it a lofty pagoda, or minaret, is in fact a Mahomedan mosque, built (as the Chinese say) by foreigners in the Tâng dynasty, when the Arabs traded to Canton, and still fully tolerated. The Mahomedans amount at present to as many as 3,000, and are distinguished from the other inhabitants as persons who have no idols, and who will not eat swine's flesh*." *The Chinese observe of the Mahomedans that "the people of that nation worship heaven alone, nor is there any other being or thing to which they pay divine honours. The rich (it is said) are liberal to the poor, and all persons from other parts of the country are received as friends, alluding probably to the sacredness of hospitality among the Arabs. Their funeral rites are simple; in Canton Besides less considerable ones, there is a Budhist establishment at Canton, about three-quarters of a mile north of the foreign factories, in the suburb beyond the city walls, which contains a hundred priests, who are maintained on an annual revenue of 7,000 taëls. The temple, with its grounds, occupies some acres of land, and has several spacious halls, one of which has been lately built by a son of Howqua, the Hong merchant. In one part of the temple is a large image of Budh, and in another an idol of Kuân-yin, the goddess who "regards the cries" of mortals, and assists them. She is worshipped chiefly by women. Another very large temple and monastery of the Budhist persuasion is to be seen on the opposite side of the river, nearly fronting the European factories; but a particular description and plan of this must be reserved to illustrate the sect of Fŏ, under the head of Religions. Among other temples, Canton, and indeed every principal city, contains one to the majesty and long life of the Emperor, under the title of Wân-show Koong, or the "Hall of Ten thousand years;" the walls and furniture of this temple are yellow, and at the period when the Emperor's birthday occurs in every year, the viceroy and all the principal officers of government, both civil and military, assemble there to pay him adoration. The solemni they are buried without coffins. The shell in which the deceased is carried to the tomb has a false bottom, which draws out, and lets the corpse fall into the grave. If it fall with its face towards heaven, they regard the circumstance as an omen of future felicity; if the corpse turn with its face to the earth, it is an unhappy sign. In the times of Chin and Suy (about the seventh century) they first entered China, and afterwards came by sea to Canton. After the Yuen (Mongol) dynasty, they spread widely through the country, and now they abound everywhere." |