This is the membership certificate of the Penang Ghee Hin Kongsi, a Chinese secret society that had branches in both Singapore and Malaya in the 19th century. The certificate contains the lower half of the membership certificate of the society's counterpart in Singapore and carries the vermillion imprint of the Hong stamp. The Ghee Hin Kongsi was the largest of the many secret societies that originated from the Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society) in China, the Tiandihui being a sworn fraternity among Chinese men who shared the common aim of overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming. With increased Chinese migration to Singapore and Malaya under British colonial rule, these local societies evolved to establish mutual aid and support for the Chinese migrants.
