Hongmen (洪門), also rendered Hung Mun, is a Chinese fraternal tradition carried by communities across the Chinese diaspora. Chee Kung Tong (致公堂), historically known as the Chinese Freemasons, is part of that heritage. This is the official website of Chee Kung Tong Supreme Lodge in San Francisco.
Names vary across languages, places and historical records. Recognizing these terms helps readers connect archival photographs, newspapers and lodge histories without assuming every organization has the same local story.
At 36 Spofford Street, Chee Kung Tong carries forward a local tradition of gathering, cultural preservation and community service. Our lodge connects historical records with the people who continue that work today.
UC Berkeley’s library guide records Chee Kung Tong’s establishment in 1848 and the transfer of its historical archive into the care of the C. V. Starr East Asian Library in May 2018. These records provide a starting point for learning about the lodge through documents rather than legend alone.
Source: UC Berkeley Library — Chee Kung Tong Archives
Our website brings together lodge history, newspaper reporting, photographs and community activities. Learn about cultural celebrations, martial arts and lion dance, volunteer leadership, and the preservation of records for future generations.
The Five Ancestors narrative has an important place in Hongmen ceremonial memory. An ancestral tradition and a dated archival record answer different kinds of questions: one expresses shared meaning, while the other helps establish particular people, events and places.
Explore the ancestral tradition →UC Berkeley’s guide identifies close links between Chee Kung Tong and Sun Yat-sen, noting that he joined a Hongmen branch in Honolulu while seeking support for revolution. Our dedicated history page explores the San Francisco connection and the sources behind its story.
Read the Sun Yat-sen story →Explore our headquarters, people and living traditions.
Follow the lodge story through records and photographs.
Read about revolutionary networks and community support.
Compare lodge histories using their own dated sources.
Find original records and learn how to consult the collection.
Explore the ancestral narrative and its meaning in lodge culture.
For original material, start with the university’s collection guide and its digitized records. Dates, photographers and catalogue descriptions should be read alongside each image.
Yes. ChineseFreemasons.org is the official website of Chee Kung Tong Supreme Lodge in San Francisco. Our headquarters is at 36 Spofford Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.
No. Local organizations have their own people, records and development. Our global guide distinguishes documented local histories rather than assuming a single founding timeline.
Explore our archives, history videos and News & Press pages, or contact the lodge through the Join & Contact page. For original archive access, consult the holding library’s current arrangements.
Prepared by Chee Kung Tong Supreme Lodge, San Francisco. Updated October 21, 2026.
