Secret societies, Chinese

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | 627 words | Copyright

Secret societies, Chinese. Unlawful associations in China were of two main kinds, the brotherhoods (hui) of sworn association, pursuing secular ends, often of a criminal kind, and the religious (chiao) associations pursuing healing and salvation by unorthodox means. Membership could often overlap, and the current term, mimi shehui (adopted from Japanese) covers both. The Triads are not a single society, but a number of branches, each of which shares a common system of signs, initiation rites, etc., engaging in activities outside the law, and often characterized by anti-government activities. See also SOCIETIES, CHINESE.

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JOHN BOWKER. "Secret societies, Chinese." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Secret societies, Chinese." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-SecretsocietiesChinese.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Secret societies, Chinese." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-SecretsocietiesChinese.html

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