These documents were issued by the Chinese secret societies in Singapore. Both the Tsung Sin Kongsi and the Ghee Hok Society were Hokkien organisations. The membership certificate (top) was generally issued by all secret societies to their members for identification purposes. Receipts of contribution (bottom left) were to acknowledge monetary contributions made by members to the societies, while meeting notices (bottom right) were distributed by messengers known as 'Grass Sandals' to inform members of meetings, which were usually compulsory to attend. The Chinese secret societies in Singapore were a form of mutual aid for the Chinese migrants who had arrived in Singapore in the 19th century. Their origins can be traced to the Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society), a secret society in China founded on the basis of overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring the Ming. After the Tiandihui took root in Singapore, various splinter societies (hui or kongsi) subsequently emerged among the main dialect groups.
