The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-27
Dining With COrea'SE Emperor

Dr. Hagen in Tour du Monde.
 When the time fixed for the audience arr rived we entered into very lofty room, the carpets of which were by no means costly. Behind table sat the emperor, with the crown prince and the eunuchs. The Emperor Li-Hsi thanked us for our visit, and asked us how our trip was progressing and whether we intended to remain a long time in Corea. The crown prince asked us exactly the same ques- tions. He is about 30 years of age; he has an inert look, a beardless, fieshy face, and thus he does not give one the impression of being healthy and capable of doing much He has several wives, but no children; he himself Is the son of one of Li-Hsi's concubines.
 He certainly will not ascend the throne without a great deal of trouble; the Jap anese already have another crown prince in readiness at Yokohama. This latter prince has joined the Japanese, and he will be supported by them when the proper moment comes. The crown prince joined but very little in the conversa- ton; even the simple questions that he asked were suggested to him by the leader of the eunuchs. It Is scarcely to be supposed that the crown prince will ever think of shaking himself free from the influence of that powerful and feared caste whose role in Corea, as in China ip olden times, is noxious. At the end of the audience, which had lasted scarcely twenty minutes, the emperor took his leave of us in few amiable words.
 Before the dinner we were offered a glass of vermouth in the next room. The dining room was well heated, and fur nished with European furniture; the tables were decked out richly with cut lery glass, linen, flowers and fruit; the cooking was exquisite, and the wines were many and good. For some years the im- perial household has been managed by a lady from Alsace, and she knows her duty very we'll Formerly the dinner would have cost the emperor G20 per guest; now each guest costs him only about f4. Corean servants, wearing the national garb, waited upon us most att tentively and noiselssly.
 It seemed amusing to us that the em- peror remained invisible behind a cur tain during the dinner; still he kept him self informed of all that happened at the table, and asked repeatedly what im- precision the foreigners were receiving. The Coreans present were fully acquaint- ed with the manners of the west, and they did not offend either the rules of etiquette or those of good form.
 After the dinner the room was turned into concert hall for the entertainments that were to be given. In the outer hall played some thirty musicians, squatting upon the ground. mandolins, guitars and other str!nged instruments, as also drums and tambourines. To foreigners the Co., rean music seems to be only ear-spit- ting, for it has no rules of melody and is monotonous. At first appeared only two men. clad in very rich garments, to represent lion and a tiger. They danced around to the music rubbed together their noses as they uttered all kinds of weird sounds, and then they vanished finally
 Thereupon about a dozen remote dam cers appeared in beautiful gold-shimmer- ing coors, and with their hats and other head coverings decked with flowers and with sandals and we'll fitting white stock ings on their feet Although they were young and pretty their faces were much painted. Round their necks and on their foreheads they wore pendants, and their dresses were coyerede with filigree.
 Their names were very pretty, for they were taken from flowers and trees
 
 monde of Corea. At first they entered in pairs, went through various movements, and each crowned her partner with ffow- CTS. Then large screen was opened in the room. and dancer took her place on either side of it. Near the top of the screen a rather large hole had been made, through which dancer had to throw a flower to be caught by her partner on the other side. There were fixed rules for this pastime; if the threwer missed the hole but could pick up the flower before it touched the ground, then she could begin again, and go on until she managed to throw 1t through. When she had done that a flower was stuck in her hair. but she at once pulled 1t out to present 1t to one of the audience. If the flower falls--to sthe ground then the thrower has to pay penalty.
 This lively game was followed by which represented a family squabble between man, his wife, and her friend. The evening came to an end with dancing and singing by the soldiers of the Ping Yang regiment. To their