Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya

Two wall-sheets or charts concerned with Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya and their disbandment, created for William Cowan, Protector of Chinese Perak in 1897. These are:
* A Wall-Sheet of Diplomas of the Secret Societies. These are hand drawn and painted onto paper which has been affixed to cloth measuring 141cm x 89cm. The bottom end of the chart is fixed into a wooden pole which acts to weight it. On the sheet are replicas of the membership diplomas and seals of the various societies with their names and the colour of their emblems written in English. This includes those dissolved in 1890. The top left corner bears the description, 'Towards the end of 1889, proclamations were widely issued in the Straits Settlements, to prepare all classes for the abolition of all Secret Societies, and special notices were given to the Societies registered as Dangerous under the old Ordinance that they would not be registered under the new Ord: No. 1 of 1889 but must wind up their affairs by the 30th June 1889. The Singapore and Penang Societies in 1890 delivered up their chops and books, and Messrs. Powell and Hare were present at the Central Lodge when the headmen of the 6 Triad branches made formal renunciation by the burning of the original diplomas which constituted them part of the mother organisation - the "Gi-Hin"'. The top right corner bears the words, 'Wm Cowan, Protector of Chinese Perak'.
* A Wall Sheet with a pictorial representation of the Gi Hin rites, together with reproductions of documents and paraphernalia used by the Society, and some of the secret message-signs formed by the arrangement of tea-cups and chopsticks. These have also been drawn and painted on paper affixed to cloth with a pole at its bottom end. It measures 176 cm x 94 cm. At the bottom right corner are the words, 'Wm. Cowan, Ipoh 1897'.

William Cowan was an officer in the Chinese Protectorate in Malaya (Malaysia) working as assistant and then protector in the Perak area. He monitored the Chinese Secret Societies as well as implementing health and other reforms.

Wilfred Blythe Lawson completed his education in Birkenhead Institute and Liverpool University. In 1921 he joined the Malayan Civil Service and went to Canton in 1922 to study Cantonese. Blythe served as Assistant Protector or Protector of Chinese in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Johore, Negri Sembilan and Singapore. He contined to serve in a variety of roles and in 1950, Blythe was appointed the Colonial Secretary. He retired in 1953 but returned to Singapore in 1955 to work on his book.

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This is unknown but thought to be through Dennis Duncanson.

William Cowan was an officer in the Chinese Protectorate in Malaya (Malaysia) working as assistant and then protector in the Perak area. He monitored the Chinese Secret Societies as well as implementing health and other reforms.

Wilfred Blythe Lawson completed his education in Birkenhead Institute and Liverpool University. In 1921 he joined the Malayan Civil Service and went to Canton in 1922 to study Cantonese. Blythe served as Assistant Protector or Protector of Chinese in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Johore, Negri Sembilan and Singapore. He contined to serve in a variety of roles and in 1950, Blythe was appointed the Colonial Secretary. He retired in 1953 but returned to Singapore in 1955 to work on his book.

Wilfred Blythe's book _The Impact of Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya_, Oxford University Press (1969) provided information to complete this catalogue.

This catalogue was created by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2024.

These scrolls were identified by Isabelle Norbye, the grand-daughter of Wilfred Blythe, as previously belonging to Blythe. She provided provenance information concerning them in June 2024.

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

These Charts were created for William Cowan, Chinese Protectorate, by a Triad member in 1897. From Cowan they passed into the hands of Wilfred Lawson Blythe. Before his death Blythe requested that his research material be given to his friend, Dennis Duncanson, upon his death. It is presumed that Duncanson who served both as Director and President of the Royal Asiatic Society donated these to the Society in the 1990s.

A copy of Blythe's book is available in our collections.

Published

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