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ANZMRC Proceedings 2002 AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND MASONIC RESEARCH COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS 2002 Biennial meeting and conference 30 August–1 September Edited and typeset by Tony Pope Photocopied and distributed by Kent Henderson Published by Australian & New Zealand Masonic Research Council P O Box 332 Williamstown Victoria 3016 ISSN 1039-611X Copyright © Australian & New Zealand Masonic Research Council 2002. All authors retain copyright of their respective papers. Contents page Agenda ........................................................................................................................... 4 The Kellerman Lectures — The Hung Society and Freemasonry the Chinese way Graham Stead ..................... 5 Masonic Education Andy Walker .......................................................................... 47 Thales—the forgotten Philosopher Graeme Love .................................................. 55 A Peculiar System of Morality Arthur Hartley ....................................................... 62 Second Degree, Second Class: a second class second degree word Bill Gibson .. 67 Recognising Freemasonry—a brief history . Alan Wright ................................. 79 List of past Kellerman Lectures ................................................................................ 113 Constitution of ANZMRC ......................................................................................... 114 Directory of associates .............................................................................................. 117 Directory of affiliates ................................................................................................ 119 Conference programme Friday 30 August 5 PM ANZMRC Committee meets 6.30 PM Conference Registration 7 PM Paper: The Hung Society and Freemasonry the Chinese way by RWBro Graham Stead, PAGM (Q), Sec, W H Green Memorial Masonic Study Circle 8.30 PM Dinner/Supper Saturday 31 August 9 AM Conference Registration 9.30 AM Official opening by MWBro Geoffrey D Tucker, DipTPrim, GradDipEdAdmin, DipMEd, Grand Master GLSA&NT 10 AM Paper: The Place of Masonic Musicians in the History of Western Music by WBro Nick Reaburn, BA(Hons), LLB, GradDipCorp&SecLaw, AGR (T), 11.30 AM Morning tea 11.45 AM Paper: Masonic Education by VWBro Andy Walker, MPS, Official Lecturer, PDGDC (NSW), PM & Sec, Research Lodge of New South Wales 1.15 PM Lunch 2.15 PM Paper: Thales—the forgotten Philosopher by WBro Graeme Love, PJGD (V), Research Fellow &CC Sec, Victorian Lodge of Research 3.45 PM Afternoon tea 4 PM Paper: A Peculiar System of Morality by VWBro Arthur Hartley, MA, MEd, GradDipMus, Kellerman Lecturer (WA), PDGDC, PM Western Australian Lodge of Research 7 PM Conference dinner Sunday 1 September 10 AM Paper: Second Degree, Second Class: a second class second degree word by the late RWBro the Revd W W (Bill) Gibson, PGW (NZ) presented by WBro Murray Alford, BA, WM, Research Lodge of Wellington 11.30 AM Morning tea. 11.45 AM Paper: Recognising Freemasonry—a brief history for the curious or interested by Bro Alan Wright, JW, South Australian Lodge of Research 1.15 PM Lunch 2.15 PM ANZMRC Biennial General Meeting; 4 Australian & New Zealand Masonic Research Council 2002 Kellerman Lecture – Queensland THE HUNG SOCIETY AND FREEMASONRY THE CHINESE WAY by Graham Stead PART 1—HUNG SOCIETY TO CHINESE MASONIC SOCIETY Introduction China has always been a land of mystique and intrigue. It has been said that there are two pursuits which Chinese enjoy, gambling and secret societies. It is my desire to bring their mysteries and machinations to you with this address and, in so doing, provide stimuli for the quest for further knowledge. To gain an appreciation of the Hung Society and its progression as a secret society to become the ‘Chinese Masonic Society’ (Chinese name, Chee Kung Tong), it is necessary to examine China and the migration of the Chinese in their pursuit of wealth and prestige. Let us commence with China and the Hung Society. Hung Society To provide a chronological and conceptual framework for the subsequent in-depth discussion of the Hung Society, it is perhaps best to give a brief outline of the Chinese Dynasties. China has always had a plethora of ‘Societies’. The first known society was called the ‘Red Eyebrows’, named from the distinctive rouge that they smeared around their eyes. This Society was formed almost two thousand years ago, during the Han Dynasty (206 BC–AD 221). The ‘Red Eyebrows’ was formed in AD 9, when Wang Mang overthrew the dynasty. The regaining of power by the dynasty gave rise to a period of severe instability. Only two minor dynasties briefly held power; the Northern Sun (960–1126) and the Southern Sun (1126–1279). The northern part of the country finally succumbed to the marauding Juchen nomadic tribes. Hostility continued until the Southern Sun was finally defeated by the Mongols in 1279, thus the Yuan Dynasty began. It was during the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), which was very unpopular, that the ‘White Lotus’ Society was formed to oust the foreigners. A peasant uprising led to the demise of the Yuan and the creation of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). China was restored to Chinese control and they extended their power into Central and Southeast Asia. In 1644 China was overrun by the Manchu tribes and the Ch’ing or Manchu Dynasty (1644–1911) was created. Two thousand years of Chinese Imperial rule came to an end in 1911, with the overthrow of the Ch’ing Dynasty. A republican government was established. However, this unfortunately did not herald a period of stability for China. Various warlords and foreign powers became influential in China’s internal affairs and resulted, in 1949, in the creation of the People’s Republic of China under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. The periods of foreign rule in China’s history were the catalyst for some of the societies, which were benevolent or fraternal in nature, to become political, as they had vested interests in seeing the demise of foreign rule. The Hung Society was most interested in seeing the demise of the Manchu or Ch’ing Dynasty and the return of the Ming Dynasty with its Chinese Emperor. Let us now return to the Hung Society. In the Beginning The story of the ‘Three Kingdoms’ begins in approximately AD 221, at the end of the Han Dynasty, when parts of China revolted and the Emperor called for volunteers to subdue them. Three came forward: Lui Pei, a cadet of the Han Dynasty, and his two friends, Kwan Yi and Chang Fei. They met in a peach garden and entered into a solemn oath of fidelity by offering prayers, burning incense and sacrificing a black ox and a white horse. As a consequence of this, most of the societies—including the Proceedings 2002 page 5 Triads—made offerings in a similar manner. The colours of the sacrificed animals were of special significance, representing the opposing forces of nature, for example: night and day, good and evil, male and female. At the defeat of the Central Government, Lui Pei assumed the title of Emperor of Shu. One of his loyal friends, Kwan Yi, was captured and put to death. For his loyalty to Lui Pei, Kwan Yi was deified under the name of Kwan Ti and worshiped as the God of War. Kwan Ti became to the military what Confucius was to the literary. When the Hung Society was established, it adopted Kwan Ti as its Tutelary Deity, not only for what he typified as the God of the Soldiers but also for the unswerving loyalty he displayed to a sworn brother. One hypothesis put forward to explain the formation of the Hung Society is that it was an offshoot of the ‘White Lily’ or ‘White Lotus’ Society. This society started approximately AD 376 and flourished until AD 560–618, when numerous persecutions occurred, firstly aimed at the Buddhist Societies and then 19th-century illustration of directly at the ‘White Lily Society’. Traditional Oath of Brotherhood in the Peach Garden A link between the White Lily and the Hung Society was developed in 1344. During the Yuen Dynasty a rebel leader, Han Shan-Tung, revitalised the White Lily Society. He thought that the coming Buddha was prophesied in the rituals of the White Lily Society. The Son of the Lord, as mentioned in the Triad rituals, is also believed to have originated from the same rituals. The White Lily Society rose in rebellion against the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty. The dynasty was overthrown and a Buddhist monk, Hung Wu, who played a prominent role in the rebellion, was enthroned as the first Emperor of the new Ming Dynasty. China returned to Chinese rule. During the Ming Dynasty the White Lily, White Lotus, and Hung Societies became interwoven, with one often being referred by the other’s name. The Society of Heaven and Earth and the Ghee Hin Society also appeared as aliases for the Hung Society. In addition to the societies mentioned, China had an abundance of societies and guilds: for example Friendly Societies, Thieves Societies, Burial Clubs and Trade Guilds. During the era of the Ch’ing or Manchu Dynasty (1644 to 1911), the Hung Society and other societies were persistently persecuted. Because the Hung Society members called themselves Brothers they were mistakenly perceived by the authorities as Christians, which resulted in greater hostility directed towards them. This persecution resulted in the Society becoming political, and numerous actions against the Manchu regime occurred. One such revolt occurred in 1774 when the Grand Master, Wang Lung, led a revolt in the North Eastern Province of Shan Tung, when 100,000 people were killed. The defeated Wang Lung and numerous supporters were executed. Soon after this incident an offshoot of the Hung Society, the ‘T’in Han Hui’ or ‘The Family of the Queen of Heaven’, appeared. Later this society changed its name to ‘T’in Tei Hui’ or ‘The Brotherhood of Heaven and Earth’. The later title was of special significance being ‘Heaven—Earth—and the Family’, the three forces of nature regarded by the Chinese as the basis of civilisation. Soon lodges known as ‘Sam-Ho-Hui’ or the ‘Society of the Three Rivers’ appeared in Java and the Indian Archipelago. An uprising led by a village teacher named Hung Hsiu-ch’uan occurred in 1851 and became known as the Taiping Revolt.
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