The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-18
COREA AND ITS. PEOPLE.
REV. @. II. yum DESCRIBES HIS Ma
TIVE LAND AND CoUNTRYMEN.

The Customs OF the Little Asistic
Kiugdom-A Land Without ANY
Fixed Relgion-An Sorts OF Beliefs
Practiced-The Women and Their
Privileges-The Natural Products OF
the Countrywide Work OF Mission
aries There.
On account Of the heavy rain early last
night there was a small audience at Trinity
church 70 hear Rev. G. H Yum, the young
ministerial student from Corea, who is now
studying at Emory College, lecture upon
his native country. The lecture WIGS q very
interesting one nevertheless, and would
have been enjoyed by a much larger audi
enos
Mr.. Yum has been In this country only a
little more than a year, prosecuting bis
studies at Oxford and has made remarks-
BILE progress in the language and ideas Of
this country. He is under IS years Of age.
Mr.. Yum was introduced by Rev. A. J.
FARRELL, pastor OF the church.
He first explained his difficulty In max
ing himself understood Ia the English Ian
guage and Of expressing the ideas shat he
intended TO convey. However, considering
the short time which he has been in this
country, he expressed himself remarkably
well.
The lecture was upon Corea and Its peo-
pie. The lecturer said that Corea is not an
island, as many people supposed, nor is it a
portion OF China or Japan. 1t 10 rather a
peninsula on the northeast coast of Asia
and an independent kingdom. II is thickly
populated, having about 10000, 900 inhabit-
ants though the area is less G. than
1t lies between the S6tA and 49th degrees OF
latitude The climate Is temperate. being
hotter in summer and coldsr in winter than
this climate. It's climate is one Of the great
advantages OF the country, enabling ii to
produce almost anything that can be pro-
duced in this country. The soil is very
fertile. Rice is the staple product, though
wheat is raised in large quantities. as are
barley and oats. Vegetables supply large
portion OF the food OF the people. All the
domestic animals known 20 this country
are raised there. The horses are smaller
than Texas ponies, and, consequently, are
not depeoded upon for heavy work.
RICH COUNTRY.
The country is mountainous in the north
ern portion and is very rich in minerals. A
large amount Of gold has been secured by
the governments from its mines. In Fact, II
has been predicted that gold enough will be
taken from these mines to disturb the pres
ent gold balance of the world.
| The geographical situation OF Corea ren-
ders it a very important little country, said
Mr.. Yum. and causes 1t to be regarded very
covetously by Russia, China and Great
Britain on account Of its valuable harbors
The jealousy of the three nations
of each other, however, has pre-
vented any one OF them taking
possession of the country. Chickens, ducks,
geese, flies and mosquitoes are among the
domestic products Of the country, he said
Irish and sweet potatoes, as we'll as other
vegetables, are produced.
AN ANCIENT COUNTRY.
Corea was settled seven or eight centuries
before Christ. The government has re-
manned in one family or one dynasty during
the entire time. 1t is strictly monarchical
the power being entirely In the hands OF the
king, who appoints all the officials and is
responsible TO no one. The present
king is noted for his kind
ness toward missionaries and toward
Americans In particular. He has encouraged
the missionaries as far as he possibly can
without arousinE the resentment of the peo-
pie. The Coreans have a great admiration
for western civilization. They are the same
race, Mr.. Yum said. as the Chinese and
Japanese, that is, they are Mongolians
Their language, manners and customs are
very different, however, from those of either
Of those nations. The Chinese have no
alphabet. but thousands 5ot ohsrac-
ters, each representing word or
an idea. The Japanese have fifty
characters In their alphabet, while
the Coreans have only twenty-five, having
about the same number Of consonants aad
vowels.
The Coreans are smaller 10 stature than
the Americans. but are larger than the
Japanese. Mr. Yum donned q suit of
Corean wearing apparel, consisting Of a
small silk jacket and long over garment,
or gown. with q light hair cap, In which
| hi lraI 60 90. II
pie in Corea, he said, are not allowed &c
build houses over one story high, and thoy
use mats to sit upon instead of chair S.
WITHOUT A RELIGION.
The Coreans have no esta blished or national
systom of religion. Confucianism which Il
merely a code OF morals, and not a religion
is practiced by most of the people
common people are very superstitious and
believe every natural object, from the sun
down 70 the trees and rocks
to have its own particular
god, who must DO appeased and its favor
sought. They believe in ghosts and spirits.
} They have a belief that old broomsticks
turn into ghosts. Wild animals are believed
to have the power OF transforming them
selves into human beings for the purpose OF
decoying victims. The Confucians bury
, their dead, but the Budahists burn theirs
The character OF the ground in which the
| DOoy Is placed Is believed TO nave great De a
to do with the future happiness or unhap-
, piness of the departed. Some believe la tht
doctrine of trensmigration Of souls.
Corea was only opened to mission worn
! seven years ago. No missionaries were al
lowed there previous to that time. In 1884
the Presby terrain church sent out five mis-
: sionaries. Now there are twenty five Amer
lean missionaries in the country They
have been very kindly treated by the Co
| rean government and have met with grea
J success. There are now about 800 convert;
In the country. There are no missiona,
: ries there from this section as yet.
THE WOMEN OF CoREA.
,, The women OF Corea are not allowed q
enjoy the freedom of social privileges Of
women in this country. The women Of the
higher classes are confined at home, anc
are not allowed to see any outsiders. Mar
riages are arranged by the parents OF the
parties interested, and the bride and groom
do not see each other until the day of the
2 marriage. For this reason, Mr.. Yum says
, marriage is failure in Corea, or nine
out Of every ten marriages are Divorce
: is easy and frequent however
: a woman may marry again the day she /,
: divorced II she wishes, except among tbs
higher classes, where divorced women are
not allowed to marry again. On this &C.