The herald., 1895-12-15

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ages of 13 and Is from contracting
matrimonial alliance for period of
forty days. This edict was issued be-
cause the king of Cores is in need of
wife, and in consequence must have the
pick of his kingdom.
Like everything else in the hermit
kingdom, the marriage ceremony is
very interesting. Marriage in Corea
amounts almost to an industry, as
fathers and mothers raise their girls
particularly to marry them off. For
this reason it can be easily imagined
that the imperial edict just issued is
causing a pretty tiutter through the
entire kingdom, and thousands Of de-
mure little girls are hoping that the
royal choice may fall upon them.
Even if marriage arrangement had
already been made for her and blocked
by the Kings order it would not worry
the Coresn girl if she thought there
WAS chance of her being chosen. An
American girl of the right sort would
be loyal to her first lover, even if a
king tried to step between them, but
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point simply because she has never
been permitted to fall in love. Atfec-
ton rarely figures in her wedding; it is
simply the result of business arrange
ment. But for all that, the Corean
girl usually makes a good wife, as
wives go in that country, and the
breath of scandal seldom touches her
In all Oriental countries woman is
considered the inferior of man, and the
people of Corea carry this idea to an
exaggerated degree. One of the re-
suits of this is peculiar law by which
men are not allowed to go out at night,
this privilege being accorded to women
alone. An explanation is fonnd in the
fact that, according to primitive belief,
man belongs to the masculine princi-
pie of the universe, the sun, and there
fore to the day, while woman belongs
to the feminine principle, the moon,
and therefore to the night.
The life of the girl is regulated like
piece of machinery. So it does not
really matter who the king chooses, for
he will get the same kind OF wife in
any event, except as to the matter of
looks. The little girls enjoy species
of liberty up to the age of seven, and
they have games much like American
children. They play house, using
shells as table utensils, and they make
their own dolls They cut section of
bamboo stem, five inches or 40 in
length, and in the top they put long
grass, which is fixed like woman's
hair. No face is made. The stick is
dressed in clothes like those worn by
the women.
But the girls are not of much i'm
portance, even to their parents. They
do not even think that it is neces-
sary to give her name. They
give her a nickname, which she loses
at the age of r. This is not simple
usage; the laws are formal in that re-
spect, aud do not make any difference
between woman and a domestic ami
NAL
When a woman is called to court as
witness the judge acknowledges her
by nickname. At the age of 7, es-
pecially among the rich families, the
girls are separated from the boys and
relegated to the woman's apartment.
The exaggerated morals of Confucius
are applied with all severity by parents
and teachers, consequently family life
does not exist in Corea.
Her life in the woman's apartment of
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altogether an idle one, particularly if
her parents belong TO the better class.
Etiquette of the peculiar kind prac-
tised by abe country is drilled into her
day after day. From the age of 7 she
is taught the duties and responsibili-
ties of married life, and they are mani
fold in Corea. At any time after IL
years she may suddenly be called upon
to leave her fathers home for that of
her husband.
The young girls are taught to read,
to write, to count, to do different kinds
of needlework, for which they are very
capable; they study the Confucian
morals and philosophy, poetry and the
art of how to please. They do not go
out vecy often. Sometimes they can
receive their faiends, but they are
never introduced when their parents
have visitors.
A most rigid watch is kept over the
young girl to prevent any scandal in
the family. If a child of s were ca
ressed by a man both she and her pa
rents would regard herself as disgraced
forever, and the only way for her to
lift the cloud of shame would be to
commit suicide. Young girls of S, 8
and 10 have frequently taken their own
lives, but little is thought of it.
This sharp watch does not always stop
clandestine love, but the most violent
passion cannot go further than the ex-
change of looks, gestures, jewels or
letters. Even then dramatic denoue-
ments are very frequent, because a
farmer has right to Kill his daughter
if she only permits a suitor TO touch
her hand; consequently, very often the
enamored prefer suicide to paternal
wrath
Under such conditions marriage is
effected through SCENTS, one for the
young man and another for the young
girl. The agents, knowing we'll the
advantages and the faults of the young
people, arrange the affair with the
parents, who, when the transaction is
finished, notify their children, but
without giving the name of the tiancee
or bridegroom.
Once Corean girl is afiianced her
seclusion becomes more severe; only
her parents and her sisters can see her;
and when 10y exception one of her
friends is authorized to come to see
her, the visit is paid in the presence of
several women of the family, who
watch the conversation.
Marriage is the aim of the whole life
Of the woman in Corea more than IN