Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-12-01
COREA AND IT'S RULERS.
SOME VERY CURIOC- CCsTOs[s AND
COSTUMES.
A Dcscriptioa Of the King. Queen. and
Royal Household.

in New York gives renewed interest TO
the country and its rulers. a CORE
sponlent Of the New York U.ratd sends
the following!
Seoul, the capital Of Corea, Is IN the
northwestern part Of the peninsula and
near the Salu, or Hau, River, being
about sixty miles from its mouth. The
old maps put it directly on the river, but
recent visits have proved that O town
which is Fear it, and which is on the
river, was probably mistaken for Seoul
whom foreigners were not permitted 10
approach hear enough TO determine liz
ysitIon. It is about an hour and @ hairs
walking distance away from the rlver.
The capital is q walled city, built at the
foot Of q range Of hills, and the site was
evidently selected as affording an easy
and natural means for defence, the hills
being in the rear and the river ID the
front. II is said 10 contain about Blk
hundred thousand inhabitants, but the
walls enclose several tunes the area oc-
cupied by the houses, nnd after surround
ING :hc town ascend tie hills aud form
IA lalrl.r along the iopmost ridges. The
city is divided into four nearly equal
parts By two immense streets Which ira
verse 1t at right angles through the cen
ter. Upon these two streets js carried
on Ia. principal business OF the place.
The KING Is q young man Of thirty
'~o, and it is only since the SUMMED OF
1882 that he has actually been OF the
head Of the State. Unlike most Easter
potentates he has but one wife, but at
'hc same time he may lave as many as
he chooses. 1t is stated that there i.
no limit to the royal corcubincs. bu,
that as the Queen keeps q sharp lookout
upon her royal master they lead a lii,
81 leisure nnl idleness. Az all the court
dresses, cmbroideries aud many Other
fancy articles are said to be made III
the palace, i: is but fair to presume that
these women find something with which
to occupy themselves.
One Of the most curious circumstance
In regard to the King Is that he has no
name. He is simply known os THE
King and not until he dies is a namr
given him. He has the power TO name
his successor to the throne, and that
successor need not OF necessity be the
next Of blood. He is never seen hisby
people, and only leaves the palace pre-
cincts twice a year, and then for the pur-
pose of performing religious Ceremonies
at a temple some half o mile away. In
stature he is below the medium height;
has a handsome, pleasant face, Jet black
hair, n light mustache and imperial OF
the same color, q white complexion,
beautiful teeth, and, the most noticeable
of all. dancing black eyes that seem to
be OVERLOOKING with merrilnent.
His state dress Is Of crimson satin.
heavily embroidered with golden drag
ous, and the dress OF the Lobles at court
IL Of u dark green with @ square piece OF
embroidery on the breast and on the
back representing flying storks. He il
always accompanied by two immense
eunuchs, who ARE also mobiles. Up t.
the time of the presentation OF Genera.
Foote. the American Envoy, in May last
The KING had seen but one other Tor
eiguer, Mr.. Won Mollendorf, Minist.
of Customs. 1t is the latter's intention
rs a gradual introduction OF new idea,
will permit, to have the King appear i,
public among the people. He is alread,
prepared for 1t, but il Is questionable
whether the people ore quite ready 70
such an Innovation upon their Old cstab
iished customs.
The Queens household is .entirel
separate from thatof tho King, as, owin,
70 the customs OF the country, she i
surrounded hy and can only b
seen by women. She has never l4e,
seen 10y a foreigner, but is described Il
being very beautiful. Before the arrive
of the wife of the American Minister i
Seoul the Queen had expr sscd !.
ardent desire to see her. bat as yet ST.
has net done so, although she sent .iel
u her ladies' III waiting to make 3 form.
rall sn"n after Mrs. Foote reached thrr,
- closely ""re they guarded and CO.
renied that DO one at the Legation say
Mrs. Footc saw them. 1t Ia said tha
Corean ladies are averse to calling, ov
ING 70 tho fact that they do not wis
their calls returned, because in that cas-
foreigners might see the low uositlo
they occupy III the social scale and th
degraded condition Of their lives. In
word. the Coreal wife. whether Of hig
or low degree, merely occupies The pos
'lor Of house keeper and maid Of a
work. having no social position wha
ever.
Although the Corean women exhihi,
great curiosity 10 see foreigners, and ca
be continually seen peering FROM benin
doors and stocksdes, the soldiers kee
an ever wa.chful eye on them and driv
them hack n a safe Sisfapoo On ~