The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-05-25
KOREAN WAYS.

The Koreans are a strange mixture of
Chinese and Japanese A correspondent
of the London Times, who has lately
described them, says that, though their
faces are almost Japanese, their customs
through their having become thoroughly
imbued with Chinese ideas, are much
more Chinese than japanese. And they
have even ventured to invent a few
customs of their own. The Korean
winter is long and bitter, but the Korean
has anticipated the American in provid
ing his house with furnace. His ful-
mace, however, is constructed on a diff
ferent principle from the Americans.
Practically, his whole cellar is furnace.
1t has an opening out of doors; and into
this opening the Korean, before he goes
to bed at night. stuffs quantity of fuel,
which smolders all night, and heats the
house (which mover has more than one
story-to an uncomfortable degree.
Next to the Eskimos, the Koreans are
the heartiest eaters and heartiest sleep
ers in the world. Their favorite dish is
young dog, and their favorite drink JAP
anese beer. They devour great quanti-
ties Of fish, like all Orientals. and water
melons are their favorite fruit. Their
country abounds in all manner OF ami
mails, wild and domestic. There are
tigers, bears, deer, cows, horses, dogs,
cats, wild boars, eagles. storks. wood
cocks and many other kinds of birds.
There are also snakes in great numbers,
for the Korean not only venerates but
loves the snakes. No Korean ever kills
a snake. He feeds it, and does every
thing he can to make it comfortable.
The poorest and the hungriest Korean
will share his evening meal with the
reptiles that crawl about the rocks that
bound his garden. The traveller sees
few goats in Korea, but that is because
they are 80 much esteemed that they
may be reared by no one but the king.
They are used solely for sacrifcial and
other religious purposes. The sign
boards on the Korean roads are curl
osity. Each is shaped like an old fash
toned coffin. and is topped by the grim
ming Korean face of Chang Sun, a great
years ago, and who opened the country
with roads and paths. To this day,
therefore. he beams upon travellers all
over the land, and his name is recorded
with the directions and other informa-
ton on the sign board The Korean
hotel is only a rest house where the
traveller may cook and eat his own meals,
and wrap himself in his own blanket and
sleep. The average Korean wants little
more than these things, except chance
to write poetry and paint pictures
Every educated Korean is poet and
painter; and the majority of Koreans
are highly educated, as Korean educa-
ton goes. The Koreans social position
depends on the brilliancy with which he
can pass competitive examinations.
Scholarship takes the precedence of all
things but royalty; it is esteemed above
common sense.
The real religion of the country is
ancestor worship. and the terror Of
devils. In every Korean house burns a
perpetual fire, which is sacred to the
dead ancestors of the household. To
tend this fire and see that it never runs
the least risk of going out, is the first
and most important duty of the house
wife. Blind men in Korea invariably
practice the profession of castir g out
devils. They Brighten the fiends to death
by means of diabolical noises, or catch
them in bottles and carry them to places
from which they never escape. The
person of the Korean king is wholly
sacred. To touch the kings person with
weapon or any instrument of metal is
the highest treason. This principle has
its disadvantages, for ninety four years
ago King Tieng stong tai dang died of
an abscess rather than permit subject
to touch his body with knife.
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