VI PREFACE. 



and interes tin g documents we have been enabled to throw more light on this remarkable 

 association, of which little, and very fragmentary knowledge was formerly obtained. (*) 



Much, ho wever, remains still to be studied, and we do not presume that the present work 

 contains all possible information. Notwithstanding all our endeavours we conld not induce a single 

 Chinaman in this place whorn we supposed to be a member to confess this. But even if 

 this had been the case, not much benefit would, probably, have been derived from it. The 

 greater part of the members, consisting of the lower orders of the population, are not suffi- 

 ciently versed in their own language and history, or initiated into the secrets of the league, 

 to be able to give any explanation of the symbols, etc. 



A second difiiculty is found in the unwillingness of Chinese literati to investigate any book 

 treating on this subject. If they are members, and are initiated into the secrets, they are afraid 

 to teil them for, both in China and in the colonies, the league is forbidden by severe laws. 

 In the other case they are prejudiced against it by education and example, as the league 

 is always represented in it's blackest colours; and a Chinaman, not belonging to the league, 



( x ) We do not deern it unnecessary to mention the principal papers which have been written about the 

 Hung-league. They are: 



I. Some account of a Secret Society in China entitled » The Triad-society?' By the late Dr. Milne , 

 Principal of the Anglo-Chinese College. Communicated by the Rev. Rob. Morrison. Read Eebr. 5, 1825. 

 (Transactions R. A. S. of Great. Brit. and Irel., Vol. I, 240.) 



II. A transcript in Roman characters with a translation of a manifesto in Chinese language, issued 

 by the Triad-society. By the Rev. R. Morrison. Read 4th of April, 1829. (Journal of the A. S., Yol. 

 I, p. 93). 



III. The Chinese Triad-society of the Tien-ti-huih. By Lieutenant Newbold and Major-General Wil- 

 son, Madras army. Read Jan. 18, 1840. (Journal of the A. S., Vol. VI, p. 120.) 



IV. Thien-ti-hoih — Geschichte der Brüderschaft des Himmels und der Erden der communistischen 

 Propaganda China's von E. H. Röttger, früher Missionsprediger im Indischen Archipel. (Berlin 1852). 



V. A refutation of Röttger' s work by Dr. Hoffmann in the periodical of the Royal Institute for the 

 Philology, geography and ethnology of Netherlands-India, No. 3, 1853, under the title: „ Het Hernel- 

 aarde verbond. Een geheim genootschap in China en onder de Chinezen in Indië. (Milne's en Morri- 

 son's mededeelingen dienaangaande herzien, aangevuld en gehandhaafd te°;en E. H. Rött°ers Geschichte 

 der Brüderschaft des Himmels und der Erden.) 



VI. A translation of the Hikajat Abdallah ibn Abdelkader Moensji, by E. Braddel in the Journal of 

 the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia. Sept., 1852. 



VII. A second article by Dr. Hoffmann on the Heaven and Earth-league under the title : „ Bijdragen 

 tot de kennis der geheime genootschappen onder de Chinezen, bepaaldelijk het Thien-ti-hoei." (Periodical 

 for the Philology, geography and ethnology of N. L, Vol. II, p. 292.) The last work containing the 

 most information and compilèd with much discernment by the learned professor, from a Manuscript of 

 Abraham Betting van Campen, the August numbers of the Overlaad China Mail, 1853, and the Chinese 

 Repository, Vol. XVIII, June, 1849. 



