Chinese Secret Societies. Volume 2. The Yuan and Ming Teachings

Author: Lian Lichang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: Secret societies, also known as secret organizations, are social groups formed by certain individuals for political, economic, or other purposes. Because they have not obtained legal status, they are considered "illegal associations." These illegal associations have existed throughout history and still do today. In Chinese history, secret societies are divided into two major systems based on their organizational structures and behavioral patterns: "secret secret societies" and "secret religious sects." The former are formed through the practice of swearing brotherhood, with the bonds of brotherhood and other feudal ethical concepts serving as ties to maintain internal unity. The latter are formed through master-disciple succession, with the distorted and reinterpreted classics of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism serving as ties to maintain internal unity. Later, secret secret societies gradually evolved into triads, with some becoming part of the underworld or even criminal organizations. Secret religious sects evolved into sects, becoming reactionary organizations in both political and social terms. If in old China, secret societies still had certain positive aspects due to their objective resistance against feudal rule, then with the founding of the People's Republic of China, feudal and backward secret societies completely lost their value and became a major social poison. Thanks to the correct policies and strategies adopted by the Communist Party of China and the Central People's Government, the problem of secret societies, which had long been a challenge for feudal ruling classes to solve, was basically resolved in less than three years. This is a great achievement of the Communist Party of China, one that deserves serious reflection and summary. China's Secret Societies comprehensively and systematically discusses the history and current state of China's secret societies, objectively evaluates their pros and cons in history, and analyzes the successes and failures of past regimes in governing these societies. This book helps us understand and address illegal associations in contemporary society, providing historical insights for dealing with related issues today.