Small Swords Society, or Xiao Dao Hui was a political and military organisation active in Shanghai, China and neighbouring areas during the Taiping Rebellion (commonly known in the West as the Boxer Rebellion). Shanghai (Chinese: 上海 pinyin: (help· info); Shanghainese: Zanhe ), situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, is Chinas largest city. ... The Taiping Rebellion (太平天國, 1851–1864) was the second bloodiest conflict in history, a clash between the forces of Imperial China and those inspired by a Hakka self-proclaimed mystic named Hong Xiuquan, who was also a Christian convert who had claimed that he was the new Messiah and younger brother... Boxer forces, 1900 photograph The Boxer Uprising (Traditional Chinese: 義和團起義; Simplified Chinese: 义和团起义; Hanyu Pinyin: ; The Righteous and Harmonious Fists) or Boxer Rebellion (義和團之亂 or 義和團匪亂) was a violent movement against non-Chinese commercial, political, religious and technological influence in China during the final years of the 19th century, from November 1899 to September...

The organisation was founded in the 1850's during the upheavals of the Taiping Rebellion. It was one of a number of rebel groups to arise during this period, either affiliated with or proclaiming support for the Taiping administration. The name ("Small Swords") refers to daggers used by warriors or martial artists in close combat. It is believed to be linked to triads. The Taiping Rebellion (太平天國, 1851–1864) was the second bloodiest conflict in history, a clash between the forces of Imperial China and those inspired by a Hakka self-proclaimed mystic named Hong Xiuquan, who was also a Christian convert who had claimed that he was the new Messiah and younger brother... Triad (Simplified Chinese: 三合会; Traditional Chinese: 三合會; Hanyu Pinyin: ; literally Triad Society) is a collective term that describes many branches of an underground society and organizations based in Hong Kong and also operating in Mainland China, Macao, and Chinatowns in Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. ...

In 1853, the Society occupied the walled (Chinese) city of Shanghai, and occupied most of the Chinese sections of the city. They did not, however, invade the foreign concessions. Large numbers of Chinese refugees from surrounding areas flooded into the foreign concessions in this period, dramatically increasing the population there, and giving rise to the prevalent "Longtang" or "Shikumen"-style housing which came to dominate Shanghai by the early 20th Century. 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Shanghai (Chinese: 上海 pinyin: (help· info); Shanghainese: Zanhe ), situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, is Chinas largest city. ... Shikumen (Hanyu 石库门), or literally stone gate is a style of housing in Shanghai, China, which blended features of east and west. ... Shanghai (Chinese: 上海 pinyin: (help· info); Shanghainese: Zanhe ), situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, is Chinas largest city. ...

The Society's headquarters were in the Yuyuan Gardens of Shanghai, at the heart of the old city and today a popular tourist attraction and shopping district. There is a small museum displaying artefacts of the Society in the gardens. A detail of a window at the Gardens. ...