Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-01-25
TIIE HERMIT NATION.
The People of Corea-Thcir Arts ana
Customs.

OOreu, llkc Japan, Tor many years re
) fused all intercourse with her sister ma
tions, and now that the barrier whicl
, shut her out from them has been removed
; much interest has been awakened in ro
gard to this country. This interest non,
feels more strongly than Japan, as man,
OF her arts, MS well as literature and re
ligion were originally learned from Corea
1t was, therefore, naturally supposed by
the Japanese that there would be founC
in this nation much that was interesting
novel and curious, The actual facts thus
far have proved n great disappointment
and the theory that all the skilled arti
sans were brought over from Corea
through the influence of a japanese EN-
peror, leaving only the ignorant people
behind, who from that time on have de
generated, seems true MS the present
condition of Corea is much lower than il
olden times, Since the treaties were
made between Japan and Corea the peo
pie of the latter country have been fre
quently seen in Japan. The men have
seemed to resemble the Japanese more
closely than the Chinese. They have 9
fine physique, regular oriental features
with dark hair and moro than ordinary
intelligence; but their strange costumes,
of gay colors and queer cut, with theii
woven hair bats and cotton wadded feet,
attracted curious gaze. They were re-
garded as new nationality, with whom
the Japanese might become on friendly
terms. A visit to the country, however,
shows how wide apart the two nations are
in every respect.
Once in several weeks steamers leave
Japan for Corea. The Journey is made
in about week with fair sailing. This
time will bring one to the coast, where
anchor is cast some distance from shore
At this point is river which empties
into to the ocean, and it is possible to
reach Soul, the capital, by means of this
but the journey cannot be made in largo
boats on account of the shadows and
tides. Ships anchor two or three miles
from shore, and the crew row to little
village near the mouth of the river and
obtain conveyance for the journey over
land. This conveyance resembles the
Japanese "kago," and is carried by two
poles underneath, in the hands Of two
men. elevated rs high as the waist, while
in Japan the poles are carried on the
shoulders, and attached to the "kago" at
the top. The distance to Soul is %
miles, and is made in day. The face OF
the country is hilly but roughly cultiva-
ted trees are scarce, being cut down fol
use before half-grown, and everything
gives evidence Of careless and ignorant
people. There are few villages along the
way, and none of any interest. Near the
capital are some very fine gates of great
beauty and workmanship, but the tenn
pies have none of the gorgeous appear
ance found i'll neighboring countries.
There arc some fine walls around the
city.
The streets are very narrow, filled with
rubbish and pervaded by gases from de-
caying matter; the houses, crowded
closely together, are really nothing more
than rude huts, built at the bottom OF
stone and mud, and at the top of wood
There is no house with second story
and most of them are very small. The
rooms are only about six feet square
with no sort of ornamentation or furni
ture. The inmates sit on the bare wood
en- floor without mats or cushions, arC
only in the richest houses are straw mat
tings spread down. Sometimes n sort o.
bench or chair, covered with oiled paper
is offered to a foreign guest. The houses
do not open into the streets, and some
times there is no door, and the entrance
is by low window with paper covered
sash. Many of the dwellings, are bull
with one part at right angles to the other
! one-half being the section for women ant
| the ether for mon. Even the kings pal
ace, a building better that the rest, ant
supposed to be very fine, has only the
addition of tiles to the roof. 1t seem,
| impossible to believe, in walking arount
this city, that there are as many as 30O(
souls in this small place of crowded
houses.
One seldom meets a woman on the
streets and those are only from the poor
est and lowest class, as IL respectable
woman never shows her face to any mar
excepting her nearest relatives. A maj
cannot see his brothers wife. or any fe
male but his immediate family, and few
women see other women outside of thei
own houses. For years women have
lived in adjoining dwellings and have
never seen each other, All their life ii
. lived in the few square feet of the rooms
assigned them, cooking, eating, sleeping
, and washing their clothes, with not tht
slightest bit OF mental culture, and viii
no idea Of the world outside; perfec
| prisoners, TO whom the light Of day is al
most unknown. There is little beaut,
among the women Of Corea. their face
are pallid-aud no wonderland sadness
and weariness mark the countsnances o
even the youngest. Their costumes seen
: frightfully rigid, and their condition
worst OF all the women in the world
: hardly excepting the women of India
Although when girl is born the parents
give her a name, she is never called by it
but is designated as the daughter or tn,
, eldest sister, aunt or cousin of this per
Q son or that. 1t is only ON the wedding
I night that the husband is told the nam,
Y of his wife, and if he ever calls her name
: 1t is when no one can hear. Thus WON
: an is almost without identity.
When a woman from some uocessit'
e goes from one house to another, II larg,
! box-like conveyance with lid is brough
/ by coolies to the house and left = it i
: then carried by servants into her room
s where she gets into it, is covered up ant
$ carried outside. Then the coolies appea
l and carry her only iuto the gateway O
: the house she is to visit, and then the
S go away; she is then carried into tn
+ women's room by those who are permit
6 ted there, and then she comes forth fror
= her pent-up conveyance.
e The clothes of both men and wOme
u are about the most respectable thing i
t Coreo, A skirt is worn by women, an
e also an upper part like Il waist, III crud
b imitation of European dress. Thes
y clothes are washed frequently, and thl
u seems to be the only particular in whic
Ii they are clcunly, The masculine attire
n made IN one piece, often waddeI an
r, made OF nice material and buttons acros
q the chest fastening il tightly. A man
+ hair is carefully arranged, and may b
ia lY.s 4. i