Despite contrary examples, such as the Imandwa, a secret so ciety of the Banyaruanda, which is religious rather than social, the secret societies of the North American Indians have in the main religious functions, as contrasted with those of Melanesia and Africa which are primarily social and governmental.
The term secret society obviously implies that there are mem bers of a community outside the society. In the majority of so cieties membership is generally limited on sex lines, but sometimes as among the Tenda along lines of social status. Some societies like the Poro admit women in exceptional circumstances, others like the Yewe admit them only to certain degrees, and others again like the Ndembo of the Lower Congo are completely bisex ual. But the great majority refuse admission to women, with the result that parallel women's societies are instituted, the functions of which are mainly magico-religious and are concerned with fer tility and cultivation.
Most of the Chinese secret societies are merely trade guilds or friendly societies, but the Hung or Triad Society comes in an entirely different category. It has the largest membership of any secret society in the world, and has existed since A.D. 386, in close association with the White Lotus. Contemporary with the ancient mysteries, it is itself a great mystery rite over 1,500 years old.
In A.D. 386 it was founded, or perhaps re-organized, by the Buddhist patriarch Eon or Hwui-Yin at Rozan, to spread the cult of Amitabha Buddha. In A.D. 63o Zendo joined it to gain instruc tion, and in 1344 it rebelled against the Mongolian or Yilen dy nasty. In 1662 it fell under the ban of Khang Hsi, who in his Sacred Edict instituted a persecution of the Buddhists and Tao ists, and ordered the suppression of five religious societies, among which the White Lotus and the Hung were specifically named. The exact relation between these societies is still obscure, but, if they were not alternative titles for the same organization, they were probably the names of different degrees of one common rite. It is just possible, however, that they were similar, but separate, mystical societies.
Partly as a result of this persecution, the Hung Society became political and anti-dynastic, and has raised numerous insurrections against the Manchus, one of the most famous being the Taiping revolt in 1851. The rituals were peculiarly suitable for conver sion from religious to political aims, since the slogan of the brotherhood is "Overthrow Ching and restore Ming." Ming means light, and especially the perfected spirit in man; while Ching means the vital force, or, as we should say, the soul immersed in matter. By slightly changing the way in which the character for Ching is written, it becomes the name of the Manchu dynasty, while the last Chinese dynasty was the Ming. Hence it will be seen that the change from a Buddhist-Taoist mystical initiatory rite to a dangerous political society was easy.
The rituals show a blending of Taoist-Buddhist ideas having curious analogies with the Egyptian Book of the Dead, and with certain "Higher Degrees" in western speculative Freemasonry.
The ceremony symbolizes the journey of the soul through the Underworld and Paradise to the Holy City of the Gods, here called the City of Willows, and interwoven with this is an allegory of the experiences of the mystic in his quest for union with the Supreme Being. As regards its analogies with Masonry, prac tically every important incident is found in certain "Higher Degrees" in England and America, while most of the hand signs are known to many Freemasons.
The ceremony falls into f our sections. First comes the tradition al history, which is given to the candidates in the anteroom before they enter the lodge. It is a moving story, wherein a body of monks who had helped the emperor are requited by him with the foulest treachery, all being murdered, save five who became the founders of the order. There are three villains, and for political purposes one is a Manchu emperor, either Khang Hsi, or, in some versions, his son, but originally the story was allegorical.
After this the candidates are "prepared" in the anteroom. The most notable incidents are (a) ceremonial washing and changing into white robes to symbolize not only mourning but that they themselves are dead; (b) the right arm, shoulder and breast, and also the left knee, are made bare; (c) the substitution of grass slippers for ordinary boots. Meanwhile the master opens and consecrates the lodge and invests his officers.
The third section deals with the actual admission of the candi dates, who have to pass through three gates inside the lodge, and take the oath of blood brotherhood by mingling their blood with that of all members present in a cup of wine, from which each person present drinks. (Women as well as men are eligible.) The last section consists of a catechism ; the master asks a series of questions, which the conductor answers for the candi dates. From these we learn that they have been on a long and mysterious journey, first by land and then by boat, till they reached the City of Willows. Throughout the whole of this part of the ceremony great stress is laid on numbers, which have a definite mystical significance. The triangle also plays an impor tant part in the ritual, hence the name "Triad" Society. The brotherhood has many aliases, the most famous being "The Society of Heaven and Earth." The significance of the ceremony is re vealed by the opening questions : Master: Whence come you? Vanguard: From the East.
Master: At what time? Vanguard: At sunrise, when the East was light.