This receipt was issued to Chen Mingmei of Fujian province on the 26th day of the third lunar month of a jiawu year, which in this case fell in 1894. The fee paid to the Ghee Hin Kongsi, the largest Chinese secret society in Singapore in the 19th and early 20th century, was three dollars. The origins of Chinese secret societies in Singapore can be traced to the Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society) in China, which bound its members together in a sworn fraternity with the common cause of overthrowing the Qing dynasty. With increased Chinese migration to Singapore, the local society became a form of mutual-aid and support, and various splinter groups (hui or kongsi) subsequently emerged among the main dialect groups. The Ghee Hin Kongsi was formed by the Hokkiens.
