Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-28
THE HERMIT NATION.
The Interesting COreans and Their
Customs and Habits.

The Interesting C0reans and Their
Customs and Hahfts.
PEcCIARfrIEs OF COUNTRY AND PRoPLR-How
AMERICANS ARE TREATED IN CoRIA-A CHAT WITH
Mr. JouY ABorT HIS TRAvKLs-srRANGH SIGHTS
AND INCIDENTS
Ihe Land OF the Hermit nation" as Corea has
long been called has been attracting good share Of
pubic attention ever since the arrival OF the en-
passy from that country, a couple of weeks ago.
IN TACT Corea seems to have become the latest
craze, and anything Corean Is studied with great
interest In order to obtain some definite infor-
Vislt the other night TO the comfortable bachelor
quarters Of Mr.. p L Jouy, who is said to be about
the best Informed person on Corean afiairs and
customs In Washington. He was attached TO the
nrst American legation to Corea that was sent for
the purpose OF ratifying the treaty with that
country; he made q study OF the botanical and
Geological features OF the county, and sent home
10 the smithsonian Institution large number OF
valuable specimens OF the Corean fora and fauna.
since MS return, about one year ago, ne mas
been engaged In geological work In the National
Museum
CHAT ABOUT TIRE HERMIT RACE.
Mr. Jouy was surrounded by souvenirs Of his
Corean experiences In the form OF weapons, mats,
masks. photographs and documents 81 know
nothing OF the ideas or purposes OF the en-
bassy that has inst arrived from Corea," said Mr..
Jouy, In answer TO The STAR mans inquiries, for
Of Affairs over there oP course Dr. 1en The
foreign secretary OF the legation, Is well informed
as 10 the political meaning OF their coming.
DIR. ALIENS CAREER.
by the way, he has had remark.
able career In Corea, and must say
that his success Is well deserved When
he went there there was no such thing as
except some vile compounds OF herbs
and slinples that were OF no value. and the chief
Allen began his practice he set certain days aside
MN his work at the court, In order to give the
lNople chance TO come to him for treatment.
aud W hen his power OF healing was made mani
fest ~ them ne was almost worshiped as an idol
The name Of Allen Is household word In Corea
now.
COUNTRY AND PEOPLE.
like many other Oriental and eastern countries
corsa is but seldom heard OF, and there il . great
DEAL 10 be learned about It. shall not bother you
With any figures or geography. but you can form
some idea OF the size or the country when say
that it Is about as large as Minnesota. The popu-
lation, about one half as large as that OF Great
Brit ain Is not gathered In large cities in China
but Is spread out more tvenly over the country.
The vnlases are from one.hslI 70 l mile apart.
averaging each from 80 TO 200 houses. Now, count.
lng ave persons to each house, q village has q
population Of from $50 TO 1000 The COreans are
about the most peculiar people that I ever saw;
race. They resemble both the Chinese and Jap
anese In some features, but are really kind Of
medium between the two races and not psrtieu,
color, rather TALL usually, but they look underfed
and poorly developed. There Is no national mus
and should Judge that they oug HI to make good
diplomats They are lazy, and have luxurious,
eisurely idea of life that contrasts with the jap
anese vigor.
1.-THE 'coREAs SQUAT
nh CHI k,at
almost national posture. A native will sweep up
his long flowing robes and sit down on his heels
and remain In that position until some influence is
brought to bear TO induce him to continue on his
way; Two OF them on meeting Will II they chance
and gossip for an hour a. time.
LITTLE BUSINESS CAPACITY.
"As rule, they have no business capacities and
u Is only during the last few years that there has
been SUFFICIENT education among them to prompt
any ambitious enterprise. The language Is very
nearly allied to the japanese. The govern
nasty having been in power for about 500 years.
The kings name Is Lee, think, but I'm not sure.
have found that 1t is not safe to be sure about
card photograph OF smiling individual seated on
. bench In front Of an Or1ental-looktng wall,
wrapped In long clothes and wearing an immense
circle OF white cloth on bis breast. A little mus
lache with dropping ends and a scant beard nm
shed on an otherwise featureless countenance
ThiS was Lee, the King OF COrea.
Here Is another picture Of King Lee" continued
Mr.. Jouy. "This is, as you see, from Grifiy work
entitled Corea Without and Within and was
doubtless originally from some native brush, for
semblance to his majesty"
The picture referred TO was an engraving repre-
senting the king and his wife facing each other,
and showing up the royal countenance IN a rather
unfavorable light 1t looked, as Mr. Jouy sug.
gested. Ike the portrait OF some ancient military
OIL haU0 faA ahr,.t
ago.
"You see," resumed Mr.. Jouy, SHAT the king Is
smiling. That is national habit. The people are
being apparently perfectly salts
fed with anything that happens Crimes are
almost unknown. There is no tendency to such
acts as murder, while stealing and kindred arts in
which the Mongols are usually adept, are discOur.
aged BY means OF the frightful punishments that
are inflicted upon There but little
an official yamen, or the house OF an Officer, is
illustrative OF aQueer phase OF their life. ON the
top piece Of the gate you see three Characters
which mean: The open gate OF the law On the
posts on either side are other Inscriptions one OF
which means: The court is ready to try ali cases
while on the other side is But there is no busi-
ness TO stranger such phrases are untntelligi-
BILE but the native knows that they mean that the
Official, who is always an ofl1cer Of the law, IS
ready at all times TO hear complaints on serious
matters, but woe betide the unlucky fellow who
dares 70 interrupt the ease or pleasure OF one Of
these officers with a petty wrong. The phrase
But there Is no business brings TO their minds
visions Of bamboo sticks ready to sting the back OF
the luckless offender.
TREATMENT OF TIE POOR.
"As said, this is Indicative of peculiar phase Of
their life, namely, the Official treatment Of the
poor classes The peasants, as we might call
them, lead a hand-tO-mouth existence, and. al
though the fear OF starvation Is always present.
Will not lay up portions OF rich harvest for they
know that II they do so they will be liable 10 such
heavy taxations that their stores will soon be de.
peted. so they feast in times OF plenty and often
starSe when the crops fan. At times they even
eat flve and SIX meals a day, and yet they always
look TO be underfed.
PECULIAR HEAD GHAR.
'The most striking feature or the Corean dress IL
the horse-hair hat, which is and has been in vogue
from time immemorial, and Is often OF EXQUISITE
The king surprised US very much one
We thought that perhaps his majesty wanted to
put on little extra STYLE and So to please MIN We
sent over DERBY hat belonging to one Of the mem
hat In royal circles however, and, after time We
forgot all about II. In the course OF time King
Lee surprised us again by sending TO the door Of
our house great load Of qneer.looking yellow
70 US, each member getting two OF the articles.
which somewhat resembled misformed pumpKin'
0 ncS examination they proved 70 be hatoo1ea
have each containing a horse-hair hat, built on
the dunlap STYLE or as near thereto as the COrea
MIND could come. They were not exactly ada
mode IN shape, OF course, but In workmanship
they excited the admiration OF all who saw them
Ihey were mace OF woven horse hail. covered with
oack SIX ana pressed SO that they were as firm and
sim as the best felt hat ever m de- device cnt
out OF thin paper was pasted on the crown. n was
a conventionalhed figure OF a s,ork. which is snr.
posed 70 Indicate long life, thus implying delicate
RANK INDICATED By HATS
1.-THE hat : dist Shf foat,~o