Representing the five principal lodges of the Hung Society, the five flags of the ranks could be found within the Tiandihui initiation ceremony grounds. The flag depicted here is the flag of the ’nan’ or baron. The four other flags of the ranks consisted of the flags of the ‘bo’ or earl, the ’hou’ or marquis, the ‘zi’ or viscount and the ‘gong’ or duke. These flags form part of the secret society paraphernalia found in the William Stirling Collection. William George Stirling was the Assistant Protector of Chinese in Singapore from 1921 to 1931.
