This is the membership certificate of the Hai San Society, a Hakka secret society in Singapore that emerged from the Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society). It can be distinguished by its four corners created by the tilted octagonal interior, where the names of the four guards who stand watch at the cardinal gate of the Hong Lodge are written. The Hong character, as well as the stamp of the Hong society, can be seen within the inverted ‘U’ layout within the inner octagon. The local version of the Tiandihui originated from the secret society in China, a sworn fraternity comprising Chinese men with the common aim of overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming. With increased Chinese migration to Singapore, the local society became a form of mutual-aid and support, and various splinter groups (hui or kongsi) subsequently emerged among the main dialect groups.
