Title
Document belonging to Chinese secret society from William Stirling Collection
Year/Period
Early-mid 20th century
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Object size: Length:27.8cm Width:13.8cm
Accession No.
1996-02881-032
Collection of
This undated document belonged to a Chinese secret society in Singapore. Chinese secret societies in Singapore were a form of mutual aid for the Chinese migrants who had arrived in Singapore in the 19th century. Their origins can be traced to the Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society), a secret society in China founded on the basis of overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming. After the Tiandihui took root in Singapore, various splinter societies (hui or kongsi) subsequently emerged among the main dialect groups.
