New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01

m intelligence Tar above the average. Two Of
Ghem particularly attracted my attention. The first
q literary man. entirely Chinese IN education. wps
Of an open mind eager for instruction practical
and matter OF fact in spite Of an old foundation
OF superstition which he carefully concealed The
other, pupil OF the missionaries. a son and great
grandson OF Christian Coreans having received
the hereditary influence OF two generations IN d.
rect contact with Occidental ideas. finished by re-
3ecting Catholic oogmas. and assiduously read
Bdchner, 8Reckel and our modern savans. But
70 speak truly, these are exceptions IN Corea,
and few isolated cases can only prepare from
ofar the renovation OF race, supposing that 81
has IN itself the energy necessary to shaking If
The attention OF the occldentals being called TO
Corea at present there is no lack Of well informed
persons 70 portray the general aspect OF us terri
RORY and the more obvious customs OF its inhabi-
describe the surroundings OF the royal residence OF
Seoul the streams crossed by little bridges, orna-
OF the capital. obstTucted BY quagTnires, and the
national costume OF the coolies or OF the fashion
able natives
NO NATIONAL BELIEF.
Apart from Gil these wholly external details there
others OF a more intimate character. and not
the less interesting US. touching closely the soul
OF the nation and more adapted to revealing its
true mentality. They have relation with the reIig-
fous philosophical concepts and the material
manifestations to which they give rise. 1t IS to
auccinct study OF OF the religious beliefs
and customs honored IN the ngcOm Of Corea that
shah devote these pages.
Have the Coreans religion? No. II we take this
term IN Its ordinary acceptation. Among them.
among the Chinese. the elite OF the population
attached 70 the doctrine OF Confucius. Now. we
know that the teachings OF this philosophy bear
only upon the questions Of social order establish
20 IL 10 regulate The different reiatonshi6s OF men
with each other for the greatest good OF the whole
There is no metaphysical side TO the doctrines Of
CoItuclus Ills practical and unitarian spirit never
1elt ne neeq OF resting ms preeepIs upon super
If and ~ hmm l-vrr 111ya -
plunge into the infinite beyond and to people II at
tons. the base Of an religious systems What IS the
2TelR OF The universe? Whence comes man?
ested him very little even admitting that he ever
Cf ~ a ~ ~ $3.50 u .'tt q ILe memory
vival Of their name, promised TO exceptional men
5nemorT N which their descendants WIN hold them
Ter may geneTations Upon the whole, the future
4iIe Of Tie Sontuoanist Is summed up in the little
Fee bes ,Ii ~ 80 20 ~LlaL ms personality shan
mi S VIZ mo a pace on Inc family altar or
temple "O'liis o. me 0spi'aIi'y OF public
II the Official disciples Of the famous Chinese
philosopher give themselves up 10 certain sacrifices
certain rites which 10 give the Illusion OF
worship there Is nothing in these manifestations
SeIlor 20 their master and which he. IN his dsdain
Tor al extramundane sDeculs tons did not con.
denim Many OF them. doubtless appeared to him
them. adspted TO constitute civic ceiebra ti1y
which should rally the entire population OF the en-
Ae9qTai6g to the opinion Of the ghosophe sol
Serao1 proT,6e5 af b sey move % Pomp and d.
uon 70 the resources Of the budget. have their
We examine Il closely. we shall observe. besides
ether ne eJes ees6TateG by the confqcanists are
are IN reality only pantheons. in which the names
UadeF these o oS9 9Ts lnf Sc 2v seems sc, 90
give Confucianism the title OF religion.
THE vorARIEs OF REASON.
second fraction OF the Corean. population IN
volOes as patron the philosopher Lao-tse
Iao-tse did not show thu same indifference as
Confuci1s 70 the enigras OF the universe OF these
two men, who lived IN the same epoch, Confucus
having been born fifty years Inter than Lao-tse one
was statesman sociologisr: the other a thinker
whose profundity often astonishes US, as his sim
pie. logical and powerful idea flashes through the
obscuTtties OF his style.
The meaning OF the Tao. which is the basis OF
The celebrated work OF Lao-tse: the Tao-te-King.
has OccaEiOned numerous discussions IN the world
Of Orientalists. II is probable however that this
word IN n China In remote tines long
anterior to the existence OF this philosopher.
i We seek the meaning OF Tao in the passages in
which Lao-tse endeavors 10 define Il we shall find
q great resemblance between this vague designation
81 a thing Sun more vague and the Sat Of the
versa substance IN It's essence multiple in its
sspeets. or according 70 the translation Of the
Completely distorted. the doctrines OF Lao-tse
~ iDSis S1S tbs eT+Tes Fast nci Sg az nose ,
portant priesthood which had its days prosperity
under certain Emperors bound TO the Tao-tse super
II would take too long TO explain here by what
process the doctrine OF Laotse. containing. ike the
power Of man over matter. came to serve the
sign OF the most contemplate sort OF jugglers
However this may be- BY an odd irony or fate the
yotaTies OF reason are addicted. above al others
IN our tine 70 practices as absurd they In
coherent. and which spring from a rude sorcery Il
exists IN Corea Its adbeTents belong 10 the popular
classes and its priests at the same time 6ealers
Ene6aries between human beings and the genI. take
most unmerciful advantage OF the wretched herd
After their establishment in China the Buddhists
whose missionary zeal was so ardent, entered
Cores. toward the fourth century. A. D. and
preached there the metaphysical subtletes Of the
countries Of the extreme East their repeated efforts
brought victory, and Buddhism not only took a
acquired a ver1table supremacy in the country.
how BONES FELL INTO DISGRACE.
Whatever the real value OF the kind OF bastard
Buddhism. transformed into a religion, which the
Chinese bronzes the Tfbetan larnas and the Hindoo
pundts installed little by little in the country the
epoch during which II nourished also the most
brilliant period OF Corean civilization
The temples. monasteres and religious edifcea OF
AL kinds with which the monks covered the PENN
gula- and even the neighboring islands gave to
architecture and the ne arts IN general develop
Enent which they never had attained up 10 that
time. The religious literature which spread from
Ghe converts through the country awakened among
ahs Coreaus the taste for letters at the same time
Authors EpranE up and at the side OF dognato or
philosophical works, Hutras and collections OF
legends. profane poems and romances full OF
charm were born, such o. that ingenious story
famous N eoceas entitled The Witherec Forest
Nevertholess prosperity blinded and corrupted the
became arrogant toward tie ciVa power, greedy for
Eashoa and ell means seemed good 70 thsn Tor in-