The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-29

ture bnsed on them were introduced into tho
peninsula It was also through Hiaksai that
the Buddhist missionaries entered. toward the
close OF the fourth century. and their faith was
established and nourlshing In this quarter long
before 1t had taken root In Shinra or korai the
other two Kingdoms then comprised within the
present boundaries OF Corea.
1t Is rs certain that the civilization OF China
reached Japan by way of Corca AZ it is that
the arts OF Rome had to traverse Gaul TO arrive
in Britain. As might DO expected from its stu
alton on the southeast OF the peninsula close to
the island OF Niphon. II was Shnra that commu-
nicated the greatest impulse TO the spirit Of i'm
provement In Japan tho work OF enlightenment
was carried on under circumstances resembling
those under which conquered Greece gave cul-
ture TO its Roman conQueror. 1t would seem
that In the second century OF our era japan had
scarcely begun to emerge from bnrbarism. but
In A. d. 202 II Japanese army overran the
Shinra territory and reduced 1t to vassalage
From that time until 1875. when treaty was
signed recognizing Corea as an independent
nation. the Mikados pcrsistently asserted their
claim to tribute and repeatedly enforced 1t by
sangunary invasions. From the date Of the
first conquest great stream OF commerce and
emigration flowed into the islands from the
peninsula and up to the fifteenth century the
relations between the two nations continued to
be very close and active. 1t was through Shinra
that the Confucian learning. and subsequently
the Buddhist faith. found II way into Niphon
and to its intercourse with the same country
Japan is believed to owe its arts its customs
its manners. its language. and tho feudal sys
tenn which survived up to the recent overthrow
OF the Shogunate. Mr. Grif'iths is careful. how
| ever to point out that Corea was not the only
bridge. though II was doubtless the main path
way. by which civilization crossed from China
to the Japanese archipelago. Both Coreans
and Japanese have inherited the peculiar in
situations OF their Fuyu ancestors-that race
which alone OF all the peoples sprung from
Mantchooria migrated toward the rising in
stead Of toward the setting sun. and which long
before the era Of Confucius had borrowed from
their neighbors in Chosen such imperfect ele-
ments of civilization Us China possessed under
the Shang dynasty.
From the Christian era until the tenth century
the names Of the three Kingdoms were Shinrn
Hiaksai. and Korai or Kokorai. During the
greater part of this period Shinra WAS a tribu-
| tary of Japan while after the close OF the sew
enth century Hiaksai and Korai wore vassals
OF China On the fall OF these petty States the
consolidated kingdom. which comprised
the whole peninsula. was called korai. the
| founder Of the new Corean dynasty being
Of Koral descent The period during which
Korai was the official name OF the king
| dom lasted from A. d. 934 till 1892. when
| the name Of Chosen. formerly applied only to
| the northern part Of the peninsula, was be-
slowed upon the whole. 1t seems that though
| the present Coreans often speak OF their coun-
| try as Korai 1t is rs the English speak of
| Britain. The four centuries OF the House Of
| Korai are the palmy days of Corean Buddhism
which. for the first and last time became the
| established religion OF the State. During this
| epoch too. a notable impulse to scholastic ac-
| tivity and to something like popular educa-
| ton was received from China. which ut the
time was enjoying that era Of literary
splendor for which the Sung dynasty
| "a. D. 960110l was distinguished. The
| Nido or native syllabary. which is said to have
been invented in Shinra by Chul-Chong in the
| early part Of the eighth century. now came into
| general use. While the literature Of the Flow
cry Empire was studied in the Chinese literary
| tongue, and the sacred lore of Buddhism In the
original Sanscrt. popular works were now
composed in Corean. and written out in the
! Nido or vernacular syllables. The printing
| press, invented in China by the Sung scholars.
| was introduced. and books were printed from
! cut blocks. The Japanese are known to have
| adopted printing from Corea as early the
! twelfth century. when a part OF the Buddhist
| canon was printed from wooden blocks. A
! Corean book is eNtant which indsputably dates
from the period l3l7-24: the Use of metal type
made by moulding and casting is distinctly
mentioned in Corca in the year 1920 and the
invention of the Unmun. n true native alpha
| bet seems to belong to the same epoch. The
/ eleven vowels and fourteen consonants Of
| the spoken tongue serve both as n sya-
| barry and an alphabet the former being
! the more ancient system and the latter Il re-
markabe Improvement on 1t. II has. indeed.
| been averred By many linguistic scholars that
! the Coreans possess one OF the only two per-
| feet alphabets In the world. W. should note
! here that during the existence OF the CONSOLE
! dated kingdom Of horaj The inhabitants main
! tanned hourishing commerce with the
Japanese on the east and the Chinese to the
south and west. Direct intercourse in ships
had been greatly facilitated by the discovery
Of the magnetic needle. The oldest authentic
mention of the use Of the mariners compass
| ia to be found in a Chinese historians account
Of the voyage Of an imperial ambassador to
| Corea in the year 1922. The Arabs, who about
| this time were trading with tho Corcans soon
afterward introduced the compass. into the
! Moslem countries bordering the Mediterranean.
whence il found its way into the hands Of Chris
| tian navigators. But whereas. to the native Of
western Europe the magnetic needle appeared
to point to the lode star. to the eye OF the
Corean II pointed 10 the south.
In A. ID. 1892 an important revolution oc-
Cured in the penins ua. whereby the name Of
korai was suppanted by tho more ancient
name OF Chosen. which is still retained. The
new dynasty assumed II position Of complete
vassaage to the Ming Emperor, of China
and the Celestial Empire for some time
exercised IL profound nflunce ON the
| pcninsular kingdom. Then il was that
Buddhism. which for four centuries had
been the religion of the State was disestab-
lished and replaced by Confuclanism. Then
too the Corean civil service was modelled ON
that Of China. all functionarlcs, from the high
est to the lowest grade b"in, chosen by com
pe.itivc examinations for proficiency in Con
fucan ethics and the doctrines of tho Chinese
sages. The collapse Of Buddhism in Corea
was 80 thorough that the priests OF that re-
ligion now constitute one of the most degraded
castles. Among other changes introduced Mt
this time was the adoption of the Ming cos
tune. which is still worn. To the Chinese OF
to day tho Corcan dress and couture are sub
Q