Secret societies Books

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Book SynopsisA best-selling conspiracy expert chronicles the history of secret societies, beginning in ancient Egypt and continuing through today's Council on Foreign Relations, showing the long-suppressed connections between these societies and the overt military, political, and social history of the world. Rep

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Book SynopsisA detailed exploration of the remedies and methods used by the healers who journeyed along with the Crusading knights• Presents a traditional “cure-all” or leechbook of the ailments the Crusaders would have encountered and the remedies their mediciners would have employed, including recipes for many cures and instructions • Includes a comprehensive herbal, listing all the medicinal plants and materials needed to make the remedies, potions, elixirs, and unctions of the cure-all • Details the author’s travels in the steps of the Crusader physicians where he met with healers still employing the mediciners’ practices During the Crusades, chivalric knightly orders, such as the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller, brought along monastic mediciners to treat the sick and wounded. These mediciners not only employed the leading cures of medieval Europe but also learned new methods from the local folk-healers and Arabic healing traditions they encountered on their journeys. Presenting a traditional “cure-all” or leechbook of the Crusader physicians, Jon Hughes shares a comprehensive encyclopedia of the ailments the Crusaders would have encountered and the remedies their mediciners would have employed. He details recipes for many cures and a range of magico-medical applications such as charms, spells, enchantments, and amulets used to address the new illnesses of strange and foreign lands. He includes a detailed and comprehensive herbal, listing all the plants and materials needed to make and administer the remedies of the cure-all. He also details his travels in the steps of the Crusader physicians throughout Poland, the Czech Republic, Malta, Morocco, and the island of Rhodes where he met with healers still following this healing path who shared their practices with him.Revealing how the healers of the Crusades helped elevate Western medical knowledge through the integration of wisdom from their Middle Eastern counterparts, Hughes shows how their legacy continues through the many effective remedies and healing modalities still in use today.Trade Review“The Healing Practices of the Knights Templar and Hospitaller by Jon G. Hughes is a well-researched and fascinating look into the healing practices and related medicines of the early Crusaders. What makes this book all the more intriguing is the author’s personal journey of discovery, tracing the footsteps of the Crusaders across southern Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean as they made their way to the Holy Land and, hopefully, back again. Jon G. Hughes’s rediscovery of the many medicinal plants and spiritual healings is a journey of enlightenment. It’s also a story of East meets West, in that the warrior-monks adopted many of the Eastern healing practices and carried them back to western Europe. In many cases this knowledge and understanding is still in use some eight hundred years later. I have been waiting for a book of this nature for a very long time.” * William F. Mann, author of The Last Refuge of the Knights Templar *“A truly fascinating investigation into medieval medicine, exploring how the European Crusaders learned of cures and remedies for a variety of aliments from the very people who were meant to be their enemies: the inhabitants of the Holy Land. A wonderful read, well researched, and easy to follow.” * Graham Phillips, author of The Templars and the Ark of the Covenant *“A treasure trove of historic herbal research and lore awaits the reader—a comprehensive herbal, a traditional ‘cure-all’ of medieval ailments and remedies, and a travelogue of the author’s journeys. This book is a useful historical addition to any modern herbalist’s library and for all interested in medieval healing methods; medicine and the monastic and military orders; cross-cultural and interfaith exchanges of unusual cures, botanicals, and specialist herbal lore; the key role of field hospitals on a battlefield; and historic healing recipes ranging from ales, ointments, oils, and much more. Join in the footsteps of the monastic mediciners, Crusader physicians, and the healers of the Crusades and explore this texte vivant, a living text, of herbal lore for our time. Recommended!” * Karen Ralls, Ph.D., historian and author of Knights Templar Encyclopedia and Medieval Mysteries *“An illuminating and well-researched insight into the medicinal knowledge of the Crusader knights, providing an excellent overview of the period as well as the author’s detailed account of his journey across parts of southern Europe and North Africa in search of the remnants of the Templars. The book’s largest section, the cures of the time, provides a sometimes gruesome but fascinating window into their practices. An essential book for those interested in the synthesis of medieval, lost Greco-Roman, and Arab-Turkish ideas that preempted the Renaissance in Europe.” * Luke Eastwood, author of The Druid Garden and The Druid’s Primer *Table of ContentsPreface IntroductionPART I In the Footsteps of the Knights Templar One Morocco and Marrakech TwoThe Greek Island of RhodesThreeThe Island of Malta FourThe Knights Return Home PART II The Crusader Mediciners FiveMedieval Medicine before the Crusades Six The Mediciners and the Crusading Knights SevenThe Leechcrafter’s Ethical Code Eight The Leechcrafter’s Tumbrel PART III The Leechbook of the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem Introductory Notes by the Author Nine The Cure-All Many Ailments and Their Remedies Ten The Pharmacopeia Botanicals, Animals, Minerals, and Other Curative Materia Medica Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisThe Knights Templar are one of the most mysterious and powerful religious orders in history. Highly trained, and adhering to a strict chivalric code, their success on the battlefield brought them both extraordinary wealth and political influence. It also ensured they would be entrusted to guard Christendom's greatest secrets. Our enduring fascination with the Templars is matched only by the swirling myths that surround and sometimes obscure the order's history. Secrets of the Knights Templar examines each of these mysteries in turn to reveal the truth about the Knights' secret practices, rituals and codes, as well as the continued influence of the Templars today. From the true location of the Holy Grail to the Templars' involvement in the Battle of Bannockburn, and from the sudden downfall of the order to the claims of those who believe they're descended from its Grand Masters, S. J. Hodge's thrilling and authoritative narrative uncovers the hidden links behind the stories and separates historical fact from fiction.Table of ContentsThe Origins of the Order. Holy War. The Temple of Solomon. The Guardians. Sacred Defence. Shifting Sands. The Descent. The Myths. An Enigma of History. List of Grand Masters. Index.

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Book SynopsisWas Jesus a Freemason? The discovery of evidence of the most secret rites of Freemasonry in an ancient Egyptian tomb led authors Chris Knight and Bob Lomas into and extraordinary investigation of 4, 000 years of history. This astonishing bestseller raises questions that have challenged some of Western civilisation''s most cherished beliefs: Were scrolls bearing the secret teachings of Jesus buried beneath Herod''s Temple shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman''s? Did the Knights Templar, the forerunners of modern Freemasonry, excavate these scrolls in the twelfth century? And were these scrolls subsequently buried underneath a reconstruction of Herod''s Temple, Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland - where they are now awaiting excavation? The authors'' discoveries shed a new light on Masonic ceremony and overturn out understanding of history.Trade ReviewA breakthrough book. The last four thousand years are never going to look the same again * Graham Hancock, author of Fingerprints of the Gods *

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Book SynopsisUnlock the lost and hidden meanings of the world''s ancient and modern signs and symbols with the latest in the hugely popular series of ''Element Encyclopedias''. This is the biggest A-Z reference book on symbolic objects you''ll ever find.The latest in the popular series of ''Element Encyclopedias'', this is the largest, most definitive guide to the secret and ancient knowledge of signs and symbols, some of which has been lost over thousands of years.Why is the eye believed to be a powerful symbol of protection by fishermen?Why do Masonic Temples have a black and white chequered floor covering?Why do Hindus use coloured rice powder to draw elaborate symbols in front of their homes, only to have these patterns destroyed every day by footprints?What are the hidden meanings behind the symbols on the American dollar?What is the most important symbol in the World?Divided into easy-to-follow A-Z themed sections, the book answers all these questions and more, from sections on Magic and Mystery, Deities and Rituals, the Animal and Plant Kingdom, Landscape and the Elements, to Food and Sacred Geometry.Find out about the secret Demonic alphabet and Script of the Magi, the Glastonbury Zodiac, the Masonic Compass, the Eye of Horus, Native American hunting symbols, the Caduceus and the Indian Diwali ritual.Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols is a fascinating compendium of the hidden meanings behind the most important visual symbols in the world.

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Book SynopsisAn investigation into the lost treasures of Jesse James and the Freemasons and their connections to the Templars, Rosicrucians, and the Founding Fathers Jesse James left behind secret diaries and coded treasure maps. Working to decrypt these maps, Daniel J. Duke--the great-great grandson of Jesse James--reveals hidden treasures yet to be recovered as well as connections between the infamous train robber and Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, the Founding Fathers, and Jewish mysticism. The author explains how Jesse James faked his death and lived out his final years under the name James L. Courtney. He uncovers James’ affiliation with the Knights of the Golden Circle, a secret society that buried Confederate gold across the United States, and shows how the hidden treasures coded into James’ maps were not affiliated with the KGC but with the Freemasons, the Knights Templar, and the treasure of the Temple Mount. Using sacred geometry, gematria, and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life symbol, the author explains the encoded map technique used by the Freemasons to hide and later recover treasures, an esoteric template known as the “Veil”. He shows how the Veil template confirms the locations of Jesse James’ recovered treasures in Texas as well as other suspected treasure locations, such as the Oak Island Money Pit and Victorio Peak in New Mexico. Tracing knowledge of the Veil template back through the centuries, the author reveals the Veil hidden on the cover of a 16th-century book that contains a secret map of the New World and the “hooked X” symbol of the Knights Templar. He shows how the template was used not only to hide treasures but also sacred knowledge and relics, such as within the Bruton Vault, which originally contained secrets tied to Francis Bacon, the Freemasons, the Rosicrucians, and the founding of the United States. Applying the Veil template alongside the esoteric secrets of Poussin’s famous painting, Et In Arcadia Ego, and Cassini’s Celestial Globe, Duke shows how the template reveals other Templar and Freemason treasure sites scattered throughout America and around the world.Trade Review“Daniel J. Duke has successfully cracked open part of the mystery surrounding Templar treasure from Jerusalem that had been moved to the Americas to help establish a free nation. Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure goes beyond just theorizing that treasure was moved to the Americas and in fact demonstrates the connections and methods utilized to hide certain treasures. There have always been those who have sought to shape history to ensure that freedoms and artifacts could be preserved in the Americas. Daniel J. Duke’s book is on the cutting edge of revealing some of what has remained hidden. Anybody who is interested in the Templar legacy and their connection with the Americas will find true gems in this book!” * Timothy W. Hogan, Templar Grand Master, author, and lecturer *“Having inadvertently fallen down one of the many hidden wells of esoteric knowledge dotted across the North American landscape, author Daniel J. Duke--the great-great-grandson of the outlaw Jesse James--weaves a wonderful tale of Southern intrigue and mysterious treasure. His familial connection enables him to explore the ancient mysteries within the Tree of Life and Veil templates and their connections over time to the Freemasons, the Knights Templar, the Knights of the Golden Circle, Francis Bacon and the Rosicrucians, and Sovereign Grand Commander Albert Pike. Where he travels next on his personal journey of discovery will be the key.” * William F. Mann, author of The Knights Templar in the New World, The Templar Meridians, and Templar *"Duke fulfilled this objective all the way to 5-stars. If you love history, mysteries, treasure hunting and of course Jesse James, do not hesitate to give your full attention to Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure." * Kris Helt, Whiskey & Wit Book Review *"Jesse James and the Lost Templar Treasure is an interesting read full of facts about history. The reader will learn more concerning Jesse James and the groups to which he belonged. It is evident that Duke put a lot of time and research into this book. I recommend this book for the history buff and for those with a love for treasure stories and conspiracy theories." * Rachel Dehning, Seattle Book Review *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION The Hunt for Truth and Treasure ONE Knights, Outlaws, and Treasure Maps TWO Seven Cities of Gold THREE Bruton Parish Church-- America’s Rosslyn Chapel?FOUR Connecting the Dots FIVESignatures in Numbers SIX The Three Veils SEVEN Gates of Light EIGHT Line of Succession NINE Arcadian Shepherds TEN Into the Shadows ELEVEN The Stone of Foundation TWELVELooking behind the Veil THIRTEEN Re-veiling the Maps Notes Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Mark Booth’s The Illustrated Secret History of the World expands upon his New York Times authoritative text on the subject of esoteric belief systems and secret societies, adding to its thorough and revealing information of more than 350 illustrations—many of them rare—of the symbols, drawings, engravings, paintings, and photographs that are a key part of the world’s secret history.“Maddening, challenging, provoking and inspiring. Beautifully written. My mind is on fire with argument and wonder.” —Anne Rice, author, Interview with a Vampire This richly illustrated edition features exclusive material accompanying the original text in a beautiful package and oversize format. The Illustrated Secret History of the World presents a radical reinterpretation of human existence and a view of the world previously hidden from us. Featuring: Alchemists & Freemasons<

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Book SynopsisAn order of warrior monks founded to protect pilgrims to Jerusalem, the Templars were among the wealthiest and most powerful bodies in the medieval world. Yet two centuries later, they were arrested, accused of blasphemy, heresy and orgies, and their leaders were burnt at the stake. Part guide, part history, this book investigates the Templar legends and legacy - from the mysteries of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, via nineteenth century development of the Freemasons, through to Templar appearances in Dan Brown and Indiana Jones. This book explains the whole context of Templar history, including the recent evidence discovered by the Vatican that the Templars were not guilty of heresy. It also features a guide to Templar castles and sites.Trade ReviewMichael Haag, in his well-knit narrative gets through an enormous spread of history * Daily Telegraph *An essential guide for anyone who wants a comprehensive guide to the Templars ... a perfect place to begin your quest. * Good Book Guide *Admirably comprehensive and balanced * Birmingham Mail *An intriguing and revealing work that surprises and entertains * Nottingham Evening Post *The true story of the templars, revealed in Haag's book, is even more astonishing than the legends they spawned * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *Michael Haag's comprehensive and considered book covers a multitude of topics related to the group... -- Fachtna Kelly * Sunday Business Post *

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Book SynopsisIn 1939, residents of a rural village near Chengdu watched as Lei Mingyuan, a member of a violent secret society known as the Gowned Brothers, executed his teenage daughter. Six years later, Shen Baoyuan, a sociology student at Yenching University, arrived in the town to conduct fieldwork on the society that once held sway over local matters. She got to know Lei Mingyuan and his family, recording many rare insights about the murder and the Gowned Brothers' inner workings. Using the filicide as a starting point to examine the history, culture, and organization of the Gowned Brothers, Di Wang offers nuanced insights into the structures of local power in 1940s rural Sichuan. Moreover, he examines the influence of Western sociology and anthropology on the way intellectuals in the Republic of China perceived rural communities. By studying the complex relationship between the Gowned Brothers and the Chinese Communist Party, he offers a unique perspective on China's transition to socialism. In so doing, Wang persuasively connects a family in a rural community, with little overt influence on national destiny, to the movements and ideologies that helped shape contemporary China.Trade Review"Di Wang's rich volume on the Sichuan Paoge offers a major contribution to the history of Chinese secret societies. Based in part on the fascinating thesis of a sociology student at Yenching University, the study brilliantly illuminates the complex linkages between rural society and culture, the limits of local government, and Western-inspired intellectual efforts to arrive at a new understanding of peasant life." -- David Ownby * author of Brotherhoods and Secret Societies in Early and Mid-Qing China *"Violence and Order on the Chengdu Plain is the first monograph in English that is solely dedicated to the study of paoge, one of the most influential secret societies in the upper- and middle-Yangzi regions in pre-1949 China. An elegant microhistory, this work weaves an intimate study with larger social and political contexts involving rebellions, revolutions, foreign invasion, state penetration, and peasant resistance that characterized twentieth-century China." -- Huaiyin Li * University of Texas at Austin *"Without doubt, Di Wang's new book represents an excellent example of a microhistory writing in the field of modern Chinese history." -- Shaofan An * Frontiers of History in China *"Every once in a blue moon, this reviewer finishes a book and thinks: 'Now this is the kind of book I aspire to write.' Di Wang's Violence and Order on the Chengdu Plain is one of those rare books....Full of pathos and interwoven with complex narratives, Violence and Order is rich in anthropological and sociological data collected in the 1930s and 1940s, and complete with entertaining and humanizing historical anecdotes." -- Kelly Hammond * China Review International *"Violence and Order on the Chengdu Plain is an illuminating study of how secret societies operated in early twentieth-century Sichuan and how they have been understood....[The book] adds to the recent flourishing of studies of Sichuan in the Republican period." -- Henrietta Harrison * Journal of Asian Studies *"Violence and Order on the Chengdu Plain is a far-reaching contribution to scholarship on secret societies, local governance, popular culture, and rural society in the first half of China's twentieth century that deserves to be widely read, by both specialists and nonspecialists alike." -- Benno R. Weiner * Twentieth-Century China *"Wang has made an impressive contribution to our understanding of Chinese secret societies, specifically the Paoge....this book is highly readable and is a welcome addition to the historiography of modern China." -- Hongyan Xiang * Pacific Affairs *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsIntroduction: Two Voices Joined in the Chengdu Plain chapter abstractThe academic disciplines of sociology and anthropology took root in 1920s China under the influence of American scholars and missionaries. Among these pioneers were Shen Baoyuan's teachers in the Department of Sociology at Yenching University in Beijing. Under their influence, Shen aspired to become a "rural activist" and went to the countryside to learn about rural issues from peasants. In the summer of 1945 she traveled to the village she called Hope Township in the Chengdu Plain, Sichuan Province, to investigate the Gowned Brothers. This introduction discusses past scholarship of secret societies and traces the intellectual origins of Shen's investigation that built the academic foundation for her fieldwork. 1A Public Execution chapter abstractShen Baoyuan created the pseudonym Hope Township to protect the privacy of the people she investigated. However, based on the information in her report as well as other historical sources, this chapter confirms that Hope Township is in fact Chongyiqiao, a northern suburb of Chengdu. Lei Mingyuan, the central personality in Shen's report and head of the local branch of the Gowned Brothers, publicly lynched his daughter and the young tailor who worked for the family in response to rumors that the two were engaged in an affair. Despite the brutal and brazen nature of his crimes, however, Lei did not face any charges. This chapter details the horrific crime and its ramifications, looking at the problematic prevalence of lynching and the rule of law at the time. 2A Local Band of the Gowned Brothers chapter abstractThe Chengdu Plain, in rural western Sichuan, was one of the most affluent areas in all of inland China. All aspects of geography, ecology, economy, lifestyle, and local culture and customs enhanced the development and survival of the Gowned Brothers, who thrived here. This chapter describes these factors as well as the growth of the secret society. The organization was founded in the early Qing period with the goal of "overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming." In its long struggle against the Qing government, the Gowned Brothers developed a solid organizational structure and extensive power network. A large proportion of Sichuan's male population were members and played an active role in local control and security. This chapter documents how this secret society assumed and enforced dominance of local communities. 3Spirituality and Customs chapter abstractThis chapter explores the spiritual beliefs and actions of the Gowned Brothers and looks at how these reinforced the secret society's power structure. Paoge members took what was traditional and fashioned a variety of specialized rites and customs for themselves. Over the past forty or so years, historians and students of Chinese society have taken a much-needed neutral, in some sense anthropological, stance toward China's broad landscape of rites, beliefs, and religious and ceremonial practices. This chapter turns to the unique observations of Shen Baoyuan, who was fascinated with what many in academe of her time thought of as arcane and superstitious ploys. It begins with a short sketch of how traditional rites and beliefs were acted out in the Paoge's own local areas. Popular religions were closely tied to local culture, and the Gowned Brothers worshipped Guandi, which brought members together to fight for a common goal. 4Secret Codes and Language chapter abstractIn her investigation, Shen Baoyuan documented unique words used by Paoge members in everyday life, rituals, and communication, often referred to as "black words" or "hidden lingo." Her 1946 report explained pointed out that the very name of the Paoge originates from an agenda of "national spirit" and "revolutionary ideas," which was a way to refer to the anti-Manchu revolution. Haidi, documenting the organization's history, language, structure, and other information, was the organization's canonical text. The Gowned Brothers created their own language, which reflected their unique political ideas, identity, and historical narratives and provided a covert means of communication. This chapter analyzes the development and role of their secret language as well as the political implications. 5Disciplines and Dominance chapter abstractMembers of the Gowned Brothers reinforced their solidarity and internal stability through strict regulations, codes of conduct, and rituals for meetings and other activities. Any member who violated them would be harshly punished or even executed. This chapter examines these regulations and their chilling effect on nearly every type of behavior. Paoge members actively participated in stabilizing local order. The parties involved in a dispute usually did not pursue justice through a formal, forensic process, but instead went to a teahouse for "negotiation tea." This practice was an important means through which Paoge members learned about current events and kept order in even the smallest of neighborhoods. As prominent members of the community, the brothers challenged official judicial power in this role. This chapter describes the Paoge's mediation process and its effect on local jurisprudence. 6A Tenant Farmer and Paoge Master chapter abstractThis chapter examines Lei Mingyuan's economic situation as his leadership in the Gowned Brothers grew. Scholars generally believed that a tenant belonged to the economic class of poor peasants, but Lei, as a tenant farmer, did not actually do fieldwork. Instead, he hired four short-term laborers, whom he paid on a daily basis. Contrary to the assumption that a leader of the secret society would at least be economically well-to-do, Lei did not fit any category of the rural class division established by the Chinese Communist Party during the Land Revolution in the early 1950s. He rose to power primarily through success in fighting bandits. 7Entering the Paoge chapter abstractThis chapter describes the dynamics that led the Paoge worldview and policies that took hold in the Lei family. Although Lei Mingyuan was a Paoge leader, he was not omnipotent, according to Shen Baoyuan's observations in her 1946 report. He was imperceptibly influenced by social constraints, but he had to support his family and fulfill family obligations. Rice cultivation was the primary focus of those who lived in Hope Township, and the home Lei shared with his second wife, Woman Lei, was surrounded by bamboo groves and paddies. Woman Lei was literate and stern, the survivor of a great tragedy in her first marriage. Her demeanor and shrewdness enhanced the family's ability to establish Lei's reputation as a leader in the organization. 8The Decline of Power chapter abstractThis chapter describes the events that sealed Lei Mingyuan's grim demise, through the lens of the larger framework of leadership in the Gowned Brothers. Given his apparent lifestyle and role in his village from about 1939 to 1945, Lei was incapable of maintaining his responsibilities. Covering up his growing financial and leadership problems, Lei lost his economic freedom when his paddy fields of about seven acres were transferred to another tenant as a result of his failure to pay rent. One might assume that a landlord would not dare enforce the rules against a man as powerful as Lei, but in reality all landholders, despite their status, were subject to the same standards. As Lei's personal economic situation weakened, the financial support he had provided his subordinates diminished, thus causing his political power to wane as well. 9A Family Crisis and a Rural Woman's Fate chapter abstractLei Mingyuan understood that his leadership position in the Gowned Brothers depended on the strength of his reputation. His need to "save face" had driven him to carry out the public execution of his daughter and her presumed lover. This chapter weaves together other stories and details of community life revealing that the women in Lei's family suffered under his tyranny. Lei's economic and political instability drew him into a life of decadence: he began taking opium, further escalating his personal financial crisis. Notoriety resulted for Lei family when their servant girl ran away, further diminishing Lei's reputation and authority. Lei was indifferent to his family's suffering and sought a concubine. Woman Lei resisted, however, and garnered the support from other Gowned Brothers, leading Lei Mingyuan to abort his plan. Eventually, the couple reconciled and the Lei family moved to a shabby house in a neighborhood of coolies. 10Fall of the Paoge chapter abstractThis chapter explores how the Communists established their control in rural China. Knowledge of the transition from the Nationalist regime to the socialist state has centered on major cities, and there has been little understanding of how the CCP extended its power into the countryside. This chapter reveals that the Paoge did not confront the CCP upon its arrival on the Chengdu Plain; rather, the organization quietly watched the situation unfold. When the new regime imposed a grain tax, however, the group led resistance in what the Communist discourse called the "bandit riots." Although the Paoge had many connections with the Communist revolution, the CCP could not tolerate its antiestablishment tradition and was determined to destroy the organization entirely. 11Looking for the Storyteller chapter abstractThis book is primarily concerned with two people: Paoge leader Lei Mingyuan (and his family) and Shen Baoyuan, the storyteller. This chapter provides important, new information on Shen and her 1946 report. Lei and Shen lived in two completely different worlds, with different geographical, educational, social, and economic backgrounds, but they intersected in the summer of 1945. One was investigated and described; the other was the investigator and narrator. Both played a role in retelling an untold, powerful piece of human history. The book is also a three-way narrative: in addition to Lei and Shen, there is the author, who engages the dialogue and attempts to understand the Paoge leader Lei Mingyuan through Shen Baoyuan's perspective. 12Untangling Paoge Myth chapter abstractThis chapter's comprehensive examination of texts and narratives aids the understanding of how the public's perception of the Gowned Brothers was constructed over the centuries. These materials reveal the complex relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and the Paoge. In her report Shen Baoyuan harshly criticized the Paoge in Hope Township, but she found a reason to be hopeful by the fresh ideas presented in Righteous Monthly, a journal published by the organization in Chengdu. At the time, however, Shen did not realize that the journal actually was controlled by the CCP. More than six decades have passed since the Paoge was obliterated. However, during the post-Mao reform the CCP gradually loosened its control, leaving a prime opportunity for the revival of at least some secret societies in China.

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Book SynopsisFreemasonry is one of the oldest and most widespread voluntary organisations in the world. Over the course of three centuries men (and women) have organized themselves socially and voluntarily under its name. With a strong sense of liberation, moral enlightenment, cosmopolitan openness and forward-looking philanthropy, freemasonry has attracted some of the sharpest minds in history and has created a strong platform for nascent civil societies across the globe. With the secrecy of internally communicated knowledge, the clandestine character of organization, and the enactment of rituals and the elaborate use of symbols, freemasonry has also opened up feelings of distrust, as well as allegations of secretiveness and conspiracy. This Very Short Introduction introduces the inner activities of freemasonry, and the rituals, symbols and practices. Looking at the development of the organizational structure of masonry from the local to the global level, Andreas Önnerfors considers perceptions of freemasonry from the outside world, and navigates through the prevalent fictions and conspiracy theories. He also discusses how freemasonry has from its outset struggled with issues of exclusion based upon gender, race and religion, despite promoting tolerant openness and inclusion. Finally Önnerfors shines a light on the rarely discussed but highly compelling history of female agency in masonic and para-masonic orders. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewWell-written, interesting, and informative. * Jorge Luis Romeu, REHMLAC+. Revista de Historia de la Masonería *An engrossing, lucid and authoritative interpretation of a social and cultural phenomenon which has been a source of widespread fascination for over 300 years. International in scope and packed with compelling vignettes, this book clearly and engagingly explains every aspect of freemasonry, including its origins, secret rituals, womens freemasonry and anti-masonic conspiracy theories. * Andrew Prescott, University of Glasgow *Freemasonry has occupied a liminal place in modern historiography. Often approached by conspiracy theorists or true believers, it has finally been rescued by a new generation of scholars. This book offers the latest scholarship and a clear understanding of the historical significance of freemasonry as well as a careful treatment of its guild origins. * Margaret C. Jacob *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; TIMELINE; REFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisLeo Lyon Zagami uses the internal documents of the Illuminati to reveal confidential and top-secret events. His book contends that the presence of numerous Illuminati brotherhoods and secret societies—just as those inside the most prestigious U.S. universities such as Yale or Harvard—have always been guides to the occult. From the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO)'s infiltration of Freemasonry to the real Priory of Sion, this book exposes not only the hidden structure of the New World Order and the occult practices, but also their connections to the intelligence community and the infamous Ur-Lodges.

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Book SynopsisSketching out a fascinating network of historic figures, cults, and Christendom, this book by an occult-studies expert and respected authority on magic and sorcery takes Western spiritual traditions seriously—but examines them with common sense and self-effacing humor. Working backward from the Freemasons to one of their original orders, the 14th-century Knights Templar, the account considers sorcery, heresy, and intrigues; explores the legend that the Knights possessed a powerful secret dangerous to the Church of Rome; and finds an essential clue to the order's practices in their connection to the biblical Solomon, king of Israel in the 10th century BC. This updated edition features new images, chapters on important symbols, and a new preface.

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Book SynopsisA Brief History of Secret Societies examines the significant hidden power wielded by clandestine organisations from ancient times right up to the present day. Throughout history, humankind's search for knowledge has revealed strange truths. Barrett explores the powerful attraction of esoteric religious beliefs and reveals how such societies have gained a powerful hold on the popular imagination. He presents an unbiased and balanced history of humanity's desire to uncover secret knowledge, and of the societies that seek to preserve such knowledge.Trade Review"'In a field normally typified by confusion and ignorance this book is clear, concise, informative and to be recommended' Michael Baigent, Holy Blood and the Holy Grail"

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Book SynopsisIn 2003, the publication of The Da Vinci Code propelled the enigmatic Priory of Sion to international fame as the guardians of a sacred bloodline. But Guy Patton has been investigating the group for more than two decades, and has reached the conclusion that the Priory operates within the milieu of occult politics, a shadowy world in which secret societies throughout the centuries have tried to influence the power of governments and the fate of nations; a world of symbols, archetypes, ritual and fantasy, where the separation of idealism, personal gain, egocentricity and criminality are often blurred. Patton''s investigation reveals that the Priory is only part of a web of secretive groups and individuals many of which, in true Machiavellian style, have resorted to deception, fraud, blackmail and even murder in pursuit of hidden, and frequently sinister, goals. Their manipulation is now laid bare. Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln said that Masters of Deception should be considered as the third part of Holy Blood, Holy Grail and The Messianic Legacy!

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Book SynopsisExplores all aspects of the most talked about secret society in the world, from its most famous members to its infamous history, revealing the facts behind the fiction of Dan Brown’s new blockbuster.

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Book SynopsisBoth the Prophet Joseph Smith and his Book of Mormon have been characterized as ardently, indeed evangelically, antimasonic. Yet in this sweeping social, cultural, and religious history of nineteenth-century Mormonism and its milieu, Forsberg argues that masonry, like evangelical Christianity, was an essential component of Smith's vision.Trade ReviewEqual Rites is an imaginative and ambitious book. -- Grant Underwood Journal of American History This is an important book on the history of American religion, culture, and society. Choice [Equal Rites] is well written and engaging. -- D.E. Mills Jr. Reviews in Religion and Theology A uniquely insightful answer to scholars' recent calls for greater understanding of Mormon theology, culture, and institutional character. Religous Studies ReviewTable of ContentsPreface: Mormon Masonry? Introduction: The Wax and Wane of Masonry in American Culture Part I. The Mormon-Masonic Nexus 1. Reading a Sealed Book 2. Was Joseph Smith a Mason? 3. Dreaming Masonry: Getting the Story Plumb 4. As the Words of a Book That Is Sealed: The Book of Mormon as Esoteric Male (Hi)Story 5. Fleeing Babel with Mother and Child in Tow Part II. The Quest Within the Quest 6. A Bible! A Bible! We Have Got a Bible 7. The Search for the Long Lost Book in the Book of Mormon 8. What Manner of (Masonic) Men? Part III. The "Anti-Evangelical" Mind of Joseph Smith Jr. 9. Whether a Man Can Enter a Second Time into His Mother's Womb 10. Heaven and Hell: Divining the Ghost of Emmanuel Swedenborg 11. Father-Son and Holy Ghost--Mother? The Mormon-God Question Part IV. The Millennial, Racial, Economic, and Political Confederacy 12. Thy Kingdom Come: On Earth as It Is in Heaven 13. The Lost Ten Tribes Found: Mormons and Jews 14. The Curse and Redemption of the Lamanites 15. The Economic Kingdom of God: Masonic Utopianism Unveiled Postscript: The "Americanness" of Mormonism Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFreighted with the mythical legacies of stonemasons' guilds and the Newtonian revolution, English Freemasonry arrived in colonial America with a vast array of cultural baggage. This book shows how Freemasonry has contributed to a broader understanding of the multiple influences that have shaped religion in American culture.Trade Review"A scholarly work, it is easily read but fully documented with an exhaustive index, huge bibliography, and complete footnotes. Don't miss this one for sure!" -- Ed King, Grand Librarian Grand Lodge of Maine "A vital contribution to understanding the development of religious liberty in the foundation of the US." CHOICE "This study of "Freemasonry in American Culture" offers a new perspective on the evolution of American society over more than two centuries. With its impeccable historical scholarship, the volume provides an important insight into the public sphere and an alternative to Habermas's assumptions about the inherent secularity of public culture with the rise of bourgeois society." -- Bryan S. Turner Critical Research on Religion "The book is particularly strong in its careful attention to historical self-understanding, myth and narrative, historical symbolism, and temporality. Future research on Freemasonry will benefit greatly from it." -- Matthew Crow Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Not only engaging, but also adds significantly to our understanding of Prince Hall Masonry and the African American Church, Freemasonry and Native Americans, and Jews and Catholics." -- Clyde R. Forsberg, Jr. American Historical Review "This is a fine study. Extensive in scope and lucidly written ... Breaks new ground." -- R. William Weisberger The Journal of American HistoryTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction PART ONE. EUROPEAN AMERICAN FREEMASONRY 1. Colonial Freemasonry and Polite Society, 1733--1776 2. Revolutionary Masonry: Republican and Christian, 1757--1825 3. A Private World of Ritual, 1797--1825 00 4. Anti-Masonry and the Public Sphere, 1826--1850 5. Gender, Protestants, and Freemasonry, 1850--1920 PART TWO. BEYOND THE WHITE PROTESTANT MIDDLE CLASS 6. The Prince Hall Masons and the African American Church: The Labors of Grand Master and Bishop James Walker Hood, 1864--1918 7. Freemasonry and Native Americans, 1776--1920 8. Jews and Catholics, 1723--1920 Epilogue Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThis is a classic account of the origins of freemasonry, a brotherhood of men bound together by secret initiatives, secret rituals and secret modes of identification with ideals of fraternity, equality, toleration and reason. Beginning in Britain, freemasonry swept across Europe in the mid-eighteenth century in astonishing fashion yet its origins are still hotly debated today. The prevailing assumption has been that it emerged in England around 1700, but David Stevenson demonstrates that the real origins of modern freemasonry lie in Scotland around 1600, when the system of lodges was created by stonemasons with rituals and secrets blending medieval mythology with Renaissance and seventeenth-century history. This fascinating work of historical detection will be essential reading for anyone interested in Renaissance and seventeenth-century history, for freemasons themselves, and for those readers captivated by the secret societies at the heart of the bestselling Da Vinci Code.Trade Review' … a work of creative scholarship flavoured by exceptional candour and gusto … makes an important contribution to the movement among historians which is rescuing pre-Union Scotland from its reputation for near-savage backwardness and showing how deep were the roots of Enlightenment in the country's culture.' London Review of BooksTable of ContentsList of plates; Preface; List of abbreviations and conventions; 1. Introduction; 2. The medieval contribution; 3. William Schaw, master of works and general warden; 4. The Sinclairs of Roslin and the masters of works; 5. The Renaissance contribution; 6. Rituals of identification and initiation; 7. Sir Robert Moray: masonry, symbolism and ethics; 8. The early Scottish lodges; 9. Early Scottish and English freemasonry; Appendix; Bibliographical note; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe instant New York Times bestseller. A brilliant recasting of the turning points in world history, including the one we're living through, as a collision between old power hierarchies and new social networks.“Captivating and compelling.” —The New York TimesNiall Ferguson has again written a brilliant book...In 400 pages you will have restocked your mind. Do it. —The Wall Street Journal“The Square and the Tower, in addition to being provocative history, may prove to be a bellwether work of the Internet Age.” —Christian Science MonitorMost history is hierarchical: it's about emperors, presidents, prime ministers and field marshals. It's about states, armies and corporations. It's about orders from on high. Even history from below is often about trade unions and workers' parties. But what if that's simply because hi

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Book SynopsisSymbols and history of over 24 fraternal organizations from the late 1800s to the present. Fraternally Yours looks at the rich and diverse heritage of American fraternal societies from the late 1800s through present times. Focusing upon larger organizations of the golden age, this book covers the basic symbols and emblems of groups as diverse as the Freemasons, Odd Fellows, Redmen, Knights of Columbus, Elks, Knights of Pythias, and even the Ku Klux Klan. Usually couched in mystical symbolism, here find images of actual medals and regalia along with period photographs and imagery from trade catalogs. Fraternally Yours opens the secretive door of fraternal societies to everyone.

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Book SynopsisThrough well-researched text, as well as drawings and color photography, this book captures the magnificence of European cathedrals and the brilliance of the Master Builders and craftsmen who designed and built them. Cathedral building is a fusion of man's greatest accomplishments in the arts, sciences, and humanities over the centuries. More than 250 photos and drawings capture the quality and craftsmanship built into these stunning structures created to replicate God's house or heaven on Earth. Color photos illustrate the gorgeous naves, detailed fan vaulted ceilings, beautiful stained-glass windows, flying buttresses, and 650-year-old parchment drawings of the cathedrals. Discover the origin of Gothic architecture, see how Gothic cathedrals were built using primitive tools, and learn about the development of Freemasonry and its direct descent from the stonemasons of the Middle Ages. Enjoy 30 cathedral tours and acquire a few Masonic secrets of the stonemasons.Trade ReviewCathedrals Built by the Masons was featured in a full-page article in The Square, the Independent Magazine for Freemasons, in June 2016. "Russell Herner is a Freemason who loves cathedrals. He also knows a lot about them and this is obvious when you read his book. It is slightly larger than A4, some 240 pages and beautifully illustrated. The book has 14 chapters, appendices, glossary, and good references. It falls into three groups. Firstly, a collection of wonderful pictures of cathedrals. The second part is a description of how cathedrals were built and the tools that were used. The third is a resume of the transition from Operative to Speculative Masonry..."

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Book SynopsisKenneth Loiselle not only examines the place of friendship in eighteenth-century French society and culture but also contributes to the history of emotions and masculinity.Trade ReviewBrotherly Love is a remarkably fine book that reads its sourcescarefully, uncovers new ones, and restores friendship to a place of centrality within eighteenth-century French freemasonry.... We know that a book is exceptionally good when it leads outward toward other important historical issues.... Kenneth Loiselle writes beautifully, and engagingly he has tackled major historical questions: what were the emotional bonds created by the enlightened emphasis on transparency? Can we get around the conspiracy theorists and yet acknowledge that freemasonry did contribute to the making of the French Revolution without endorsing their arguments about its having played a political role? Brotherly Love adds immensely to the restoration of freemasonry as a vital area of historical inquiry within American universities. It is a wonderful achievement. -- Margaret Jacob * Journal for Research into Freemasonry and Fraternalism *Eighteenth-century Freemasonry has always attracted historical interest. A perennial question for historians is how far Freemasonry may have served as a link between the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. The subject has also stirred the attention of the wider public, attracted by Freemasonry's aura as a mysterious society that shrouds its arcane rituals in secrecy. The great originality of Loiselle's contribution is that he has combined his close-grained study of Freemasonry with the burgeoning interest in both the study of gender relations and the emotional history of friendship to give us a fresh perspective on a seemingly well-worn topic. Loiselle combines this new interpretive approach with a thorough grounding in much unfamiliar source material, making this a very welcome and opportune study. Loiselle shows an admirable attention to the sources, enabling him to give a convincing—and often touching—picture of what Masonic friendships meant to the men who experienced them. Loiselle states that his primary aim in this book is to use the Masonic movement as a 'prism to understand more clearly how ordinary men conceived of and lived friendship in eighteenth-century France' (p. 8). He has admirably succeeded in his purpose, giving us a historically sensitive account of the lived experience of male friendship, and what it meant to be a man, a friend, and a Mason. -- Marisa Linton * H-France Review? *Kenneth Loiselle has joined together several major strands of historiography and examined a rich corpus of archival evidence to produce an important study of sociability in eighteenth-century France. The strands derive from classic and recent works on Freemasonry, social relations, gender, secularization, emotion, and the relationship between the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Loiselle is a helpful guide to, and friendly critic of, the existing literature, and his own analysis of records from Mason lodges and correspondence between individual Masons turns what risked being a synthetic review of the familiar into an original and compelling treatment of matters central to historical study. -- David G. Troyansky * American Historical Review *Kenneth Loiselle's book adds to the literature on Masonry by examining the relatively neglected topic of the private and emotional dimensions of this phenomenon. As he convincingly argues, friendship was central to the appeal and experience of Freemasonry in the eighteenth century. By studying the ritual and affective lives of Masons, this book also contributes to the burgeoning scholarship on private life, friendship, masculinity and the emotions as well as the more established literatures on how the Enlightenment was lived and the connections between the Enlightenment and the Revolution.... Loiselle is deeply engaged with the intellectual history of friendship and shows how Masons put Enlightenment ideals about the self and society into practice.... One of the merits of this book... is that it does not just consider norms and discourses but also the experience of Masonic friendship and shows the constant interaction between these two domains. -- Sarah Horowitz * French History *This well-documented study is the fruit of much archival research in the Masonic collections of the Bibliothèque nationale de France and numerous regional collections. An enjoyable read, the work successfully places the project of Masonic practices in their social and cultural environments in a convincingly analytical and varied way. Beyond the Masonic realm, it brings a stimulating contribution to the study of masculine sociability in the eighteenth century. -- Pierre-Yves Beaurepaire * Annales *Table of ContentsIntroduction1. The Masonic Utopia of Friendship2. Friendship in Ritual3. Confronting the Specter of Sodomy4. "New but True Friends": The Friendship Network of Philippe-Valentin Bertin du Rocheret5. Friendship in the Age of Sensibility6. Friendship under Fire: Freemasonry in the French RevolutionConclusionIndex

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Book Synopsis'A gripping story filled with remarkable revelations.' Tom Bower, author of RevengeTrade Review'A racy and readable account of a range of Soviet intelligence operations carried out during the Cold War.' -- Telegraph‘An enjoyable read’ -- The Times'Entertaining.' -- Tablet'A gripping story filled with remarkable revelations.' -- Tom Bower, author of Revenge'From honey traps to hit jobs, the plot twists like The Third Man in post-war Vienna. Mark Hollingsworth ably traces the history of active measures from Lenin’s Chekists to the present day. Deeply researched, fluently written and insightful, this book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the threat Putin’s Russia poses to us here in Britain.' -- Edward Lucas, author of Deception'A valuable account of an important and highly topical subject – Russian intelligence operations against the West… A must-read for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the malign mindset and obsession of Vladmir Putin and his acolytes.' -- Christopher Steele, former MI6 officer in Russia, 1990-93‘Gripping and insightful… We meet an intriguing list of characters through which the Soviets aimed to gain an advantage over the West. Motivated by ideology, or in other cases by money, they are an exotic list whose stories are explored in detail and give the book a feeling of a real-life spy novel… A good read with fascinating insights, Hollingsworth’s book is to be recommended.’ -- Kevan Jones MP, PoliticsHome

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Book SynopsisHasan-i-Sabah was born in northern Persia around 1050 and died in 1124. He was an Ismaili missionary (or dai) who founded the Nizari Ismailis after the usurpation of the Fatimid Imamate by the military dictator of Egypt. It may be said that Hasan founded and operated the world''s most successful mystical secret society, while building a political territory in which to maintain his independence. The small empire he created would be home to him, his followers and their descendants for 166 years. Today, under the leadership of the Aga Khan, the Nizari Ismailis are one of the preeminent Muslim sects in the world, numbering some twenty million members in twenty-five countries.The mediaeval Nizaris were, also, known as Assassins or Hashishim. They became embedded in European consciousness because of their contact with the Knights Templar and other Crusaders and visitors to the Near East. Several Europeans reported back with strange (and largely false) tales of the Assassins. In the fourteent

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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