Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-04-27
KOREA THE PROMISED LAND
Japanese Legend of Conquest That
Is To-Day Upon the Tongues
of the People.

IN the year 200 of our era Emperor Ciuai
a skillful lutte player, was one day per-
forming on his favorite instrument in
the presence of his queen and the prime
minister, when. perhaps as an effect OF
the music or from some other mysterious
cause, the empress rose and through her
lips the gods spoke. Away from here
toward the west" cried the queen. "is
a land rich in treasure: gold and silver
glitter In the sun and the eyes are daZ-
lied with the glory of the light. That
land turning to the king, Il now give to
you. The emperor placed the Lutte
aside and replied: eff you mount the
highest mountain of the earth and look
toward the west you will only see the
limitless sea; there is no earth in that
direction. The spirit of falsehood has
spoken through your mouth The gods
were angered by this speech and replied
through the lips of the empress: You
are not fit to rule this kingdom; take uu
your lutte and continue your music"
Taking up the instrument, Ciuai contin.
ued his melody, but little by little the
sound grew fainter and in the imperial
lead.
This is the legend, says a London pa.
per, which is in the mouth of every Jap
anese. the end of the legend telling us
that Queen Gingo Kogo, after the death
of the emperor, took up the reins of gov.
eminent. armed a powerful fleet and
with the aid of the inhabitants of the sea
As we'll as with the assistance of the sea
itself, rendered friendly by the gods
crossed the straits of Korea and con.
quered the three Kingdoms of the PENN
sula. This expedition lasted three years
the queen dying in 269 at the age of 100
years. OF this ancient invasion of the
Japanese there at present remain nc
traces in the traditions or records of the
Koreans. the Japanese only appearing in
Korean history century later. when in
the war which arose between the king
doms of Silla and Pakge the latter asked
the assistance of the japanese kingdom.
At this early time Korean civilization
was in its greatest splendor. Manufac-
lures and trade enjoyed the highest pros
perity. In fact, few natives of Pakge
flying to Japan to escape the power "
Silla, introduced among the Japanese the
sacred Buddhistic sCtras and those arts
in which the Japanese later became
proficient. Thus Korea appeared to the
Japanese; a semi-barbarous people, as
a sort of promised land, the capture OF
which would assure the prosperity of the
empire. To this feeling another was soon
added when Korea fell under the power
Of the MOngolians. when Kubilai decided
to conquer Japan, the Korean army being
obliged to take part in the expedition
Thus it was not alone the desire to OBJ
tain possession of a fertile country that
impelled the japanese toward Korea, but
also the desire for revenge against the
allies of the Mongolians.
From this time. the thirteenth century
commenced the incursions of the Japan.
csc pirates. who filed the entire coast
Of the peninsula with terror. The great
dream of conquest, however was not
brought to climax until 1892, when the
famous Hideyoshi, the celebrated Japan
csc Napoleon. who desired to unite un-
der his power all the territory Of the
extreme orient, as a first step to.
ward this ambition sent his two
generals. Kato KiyOmasa and KOnish
Yukinaga, the latter Christian, against
Korea with an army Of $50 900 men. Sue.
cess smiled on the japanese arms from
the first, the cities of the peninsula fel
one after the other, and in only IS day.
from the landing of the invaders at FusaI
Seoul was in their hands. The king OF
Korea, at the approach of the enemy fed
70 h. n1th w I oirr I I,r
help of China. After various undertake
ings of secondary Importance and the
destruction of the Japanese fleet by thai
of Korea. the armies of japan and Korea
the latter with strength Of 600 men
met in terrible battle under the walls
of Seoul This was the bloodiest strug-
Gle of the entire campaign and, notwith-
standing the greater number of their enc
| mics. the indomitable courage and SUI
peTiOrity OF the Japanese arms in the err
| placed the victory in their hands. The
Chinese and the Koreans fled to the
north, while the Japanese, greatly weak
aned by their losses, retired to the south
| OF the peninsula.
All attempts at peace, however, were
| fraitless because of the eXorbitant de-
mands of Hideyoshi and the latter again
ordered his troops to proceed north
| Seoul again fell into their hands, but the
Koreans, who in the meantime had had
Itime to reorganiZe their forces and to OBJ
| ain new troops from China, this time
! opposed a fierce resistance. The Japan
| csc feet was again destroyed, while the
army was obliged to retreat and to leave
| The peninsula.