The People’s Law

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When there was injustice, people came to the members of the secret brotherhood and they got what they wanted. Vengeance. Pretty soon, the Kongsi became stronger than the law, because it was the people’s law. That is until the government suppressed it in the 1890s.

The system of Kongsi, “clan halls” or secret societies, was utilized by Chinese throughout the world to overcome economic difficulty, social ostracism, and oppression. The name Ghee Hin translates to the rise of righteousness (义兴) and Ghee Hin Kongsi is a Chinese secret society formed in 1820 in Malaya.

The grand membership certificate of the Ghee Hin Kongsi

The picture shows “The grand membership certificate of the Ghee Hin Kongsi”. Personally, I would feel proud to hold this certificate, to be a member in such an organization, to help the poor and those in need. After all, don’t we share the same cultural roots? After discovering that the Ghee Hin Kongsi was notorious for riots and responsible for deaths of over half a thousand people, however, I felt fortunate that I wasn’t born in that era. Although holding the certificate would help some people, at the same time it meant violence and killing of several hundreds of others.

“Gone are the days where life was so exciting.” My great-grandmother said. Although not as exciting, it is certainly safer to live in the peaceful and serene Singapore today. Do join me in taking this opportunity to salute and thank our efficient government for the peace and stability we all enjoy today!