The Boxers, officially known as the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists (traditional Chinese: 義和拳; simplified Chinese: 义和拳; pinyin: Yìhéquán; Wade–Giles: I4-ho2-ch'üan2) among other names, were a Chinese secret society based in Northern China that carried out the Boxer Rebellion from 1899 to 1901.
Captured Boxer fighters during the Boxer Rebellion in Tianjin (1901)
A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla warfare insurgencies, that hide their activities and memberships but maintain a public presence.
"Secret Society Buildings at Yale College" by Alice Donlevy c. 1880. Pictured are: Psi Upsilon (Beta chapter), 120 High Street. Left center: Skull and Bones (Russell Trust Association), 64 High Street. Right center: Delta Kappa Epsilon (Phi chapter), east side of York Street, south of Elm Street. Bottom: Scroll and Key (Kingsley Trust SSS Nonse Association), 490 College Street.
The Brethren of Sincerity) were a secret society of Muslim philosophers in Basra, Iraq, in the 9th or 10th century CE.
A Hongmen seal, 19th century