Secrecy, Society, and Revolution: Shaanxi Gelaohui in the Late Qing (1840–1911)

Abstract

This thesis explores the critical role played by the Gelaohui, a prominent secret society in Shaanxi Province, in the events leading up to and including the 1911 Revolution. Drawing extensively from Qing dynasty archival records, local gazetteers, and contemporary memoirs, this study traces the emergence of society, its regional adaptation, and eventual political mobilization. It argues that the Gelaohui’s effectiveness in the revolutionary context was rooted not in explicit revolutionary ideology but in its adaptive organizational practices, strategic use of local ecological conditions, and deeply embedded social networks. Initially formed through interactions between displaced soldiers and marginalized local populations, the Gelaohui thrived within Shaanxi’s mountainous terrains, exploiting the imperial absence and administrative weaknesses of the Qing state. Over the decades, it evolved from mutual aid networks into an effective organizational structure capable of both criminal and political action. In the revolutionary moment of 1911, the Gelaohui’s decentralized yet highly coordinated networks proved pivotal, particularly in the capture of Xi’an. Ultimately, the thesis reframes the Gelaohui’s historical role from that of marginal rebel groups to key adaptive social actors who mediated the broader dynastic transition by operating at the intersection of ecological, military, and social forces.