"Opening Mountain and Water Halls","Burning Incense for Sworn Brotherhood",and"Recruitment":Discovering Facts about the Early History of the Elder Brothers Society
Historian have debated the specific date of the origin of the name,"Elder Brothers Society"(Gelaohui).According to folk documents and archival records,it can be confirmed that the name Elder Brothers Society came into existence during the Daoguang reign.In the early years of Tongzhi reign,the name Elder Brothers Society appeared more and more frequently in official documents.The events surrounding words like"Opening Mountain and Water Halls"show that a series of internal rules and codes had been formed as well as the development trajectory of this organization in terms of internal structure,beliefs,rituals,and even language.The records of the early history of Elder Brothers Society were basically made by enemies of the organization,whether they were local elites or officials,and were inevitably biased.Scholars who use these materials today should place them into the context of that time for analysis.
GelaohuiGuoluElder Brothers Society Sworn CeremoniesFolk Documents and Archives
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