Such membership certificates were issued by the various Chinese secret societies in Singapore and had to be carried around by members at all times for identification purposes. This particular certificate has the numerical code (3 8 20 1) of the Hong society or Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society) written across the top of the octagon. Such codes were used for internal communication within the secret society, to prevent outsiders from deciphering the meaning of the text. The Hong lodges mentioned in the certificate allude to their counterparts established in five different Chinese provinces by the founders of the original Tiandihui in China. This was a sworn fraternity comprising men with the common aim of overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming. With increased Chinese migration to Singapore in the 19th century, the local society evolved to become an organisation providing for them mutual aid and support.
