The secret to the numbering of SG Seceret Society
I hope I won’t get into trouble for writing this post. But I do feel that members of the public should have some ideas about how our local SS scene comes about.
Generally, I believe many had heard, in one way or others – 08, 18, 24, 369, etc…
Common names, which can be found scribbled on the back of some coffee shop toilet door – 十八小坤堂. But what does this number really means?
Lets us move further back in time to find some roots about the evolve of our local Secret Society (SS) scene.
Organisation of such actually started in China during the fall of Mind Dynasty. The purposed is to over throw the Qing Dynasty.
2 major organisation at during that time, namely: Red Sect (红帮) and Green Sect (青帮). The Red rules the land and the Green rules the sea (in Chinese context, “red” = earth, which is the color of the soil; “green” = sea, which is how Chinese interpret – 绿悠悠的海.).
After China revolution, the Red & Green Sect venture to overseas, forming Organisation to aids the Chinese immigrants there and Singapore was one of them.
Usually the involvement of local “pugilistic organisation” has some relation to the Red Sect; and the Green Sect assisted Chinese in the harbour trade.
Some of the numbers are actually unit numbers of the ports, when the Green Sect set-up their association (there maybe some other more numbers, which I had no knowledge of).
’369′ , also known as Sio Kun Tong, was from an older gang 18, commonly known as Siao. The numbers 3, 6 and 9 add up to 18; the number signified the 18 lorhans (principal disciples) of Shaolin.
The Singapore National Pugilistic Association was founded in the late 50′s, with the aim to unite the Singapore pugilistic community scene and to promote/enhance the art of pugilistic, namely: Chinese Martial Arts, Dragon Dance and Lion Dance, but I was told that the main purposed is for our then gahmen to closely monitor any illegal “movement/involvement” by these association.
The purpose of over throwing the Qing had already loss its focus after the China Revolution, when communist took over. The Red & Green Sect from an organisation moved into the heartland of commoners and start to side track into illegal activities.
Well, that’s about the rough idea I got from some great story telling session I had with some very senior members of some association in Singapore. You can still find traits of “numbering” within your Chinese Martial Arts, Dragon Dance and Lion Dance or some form of movement, steps or namely within your art that had relation to the “反清复明” movement.
Some of the “numbering system” inlcude – 21 Tiong, 18 Siao, o4 Tong, 369 Chao, 24 Tong, 08 Kong.
For Singapore ganster, if your really trace your roots, you are either from the Red or Green Sect.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing!
in western countries, these chinese SS are still active, but unsure if the old code are still practised. I have seen some lao sia following the SS language & traditions when doing liondancings & kungfu moves. The last time I saw the negotiations in a chinese restaurant many years ago in Sydney where there were some funny patterns/arrangements. I work there u see?
nice research on this.
Nice one, man. Very interesting.
Those who are interested to know more can buy this book from kino for about S$20+ : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Triads-Chinese-Secret-Societies-Singapore/dp/9810814674