The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-04-27
THE EMPEROR Of COREA
Ruler of the Hermit Kingdom
AS a Host.
AUDIENCE AND BANQUET
A Travellers Impression Of the EN-
peror and the Crown Princes
The Coreans Did Not Offend the
Rules Of "Good Form" Of the
West.

MS impressions Ol lHS country
its people. OF especial interest is
Hagen's description of an audience
of state banquet at the Court
g. Corea: when the time fixed for
9 audience arrived we entered into
Nary lofty room, the carpets of which
were by no means costly. Behind
table sat the Emperor with the Crown
Princes and the eunuchs. The Emper.
or Li-Hsi thanked us for our visit and
asked us how our trip was progressing
and whether we intend to remain a
long time in Corea. The Crown
Prince asked us exactly the same
questions. He is about 80 years old,
has an inert look, a beardess, fleshy
face, thus not giving one the impress.
sion of being healthy and capable Of
doing much. He has several wives,
but no children; he himself is the son
Of one of Li-IIsfs concubines. He
certainly will not ascend the throne
without a great deal of trouble; the
Japanese already have another Crown
Prince in readiness at Yokohama;
this latter prince has Joined the Jap
anese, and he will be supported by
them when the proper moment comes.
The Crown Prince Joined but very
little in the conversations even the
simple questions that he asked were
suggested to him by the leader of
the eunuchs. 1t is scarcely to be sup.
posed that the Crown Prince will ever
think of shaking himself free from the
influence of that powerful and feared
caste, whose rule in Corea, as in China
in olden times, Is noXious. At the end
of the audience, which had lastel
scarcely twenty minutes, the emperor
took his leave of us in few amiab!
words.
Before the dinner we were offe..
ed a glass of vermouth in the next
room. The dinngroom was well
heated and furnished with European
furniture; the table was decked oUt
richly with cutlery, glass, linen. ioW'
ers and fruits; the cooking was eH.
quisite and the wines were many anl
good. For some years the Imperial
lusehold has been managed by lady
m Alsace, and she knows her duty
y well. Formerly the dinner would
20 cost the Emperor 20 pounds per
gEelt. now each guest costs only
ut 4 pounds. Corean servants,
airing the national garb, waited
Gon us attentively and noiselessly
Ii seemed amusing to us that the EN-
peror remained invisible behind a cur
tain during the dinner. He kept him
self informed of all that happened ct
table and asked repeatedly what i'm
preston the foreigners were receiving.
The Coreans present were fully ac'
quainted 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 a concert hall
for the entertainments that were to
be given. At first appeared two men
clad in very rich garments to repre-.
sent a 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
"Thereupon about dozen female
dancers appeared in beautiful gold
shmmering colors, and with their hats
and other head coverings decked with
flowers and with sandals and well At.
ting white stockings on their small
feet Although they were young and
pretty their faces were much painted
Round their necks and on their fore
heads they wore pendants and their
dresses were covered with filigree. Al
first they entered in pairs, went
through various movements and each
crowned her partner with flowers
Then large screen was opened In
the room and dancer took her place
on either side of It. Near the top oI
the screen rather large hole had
been made, through which a dancer
had to throw flower to bt
caught by her partner on the othel
side. There were fixed rules for this
pastime; If the thrower missed the
hole but could pick up the flower be
fore it touched the ground then she
could begin again and go on until sht
managed to throw 1t through. Whei
she had done that a flower was stucl
IN her hair, but she at once pulled
1t out to present 1t to one OF the audi
ence. II the flower falls to the groun,
then the thrower has to pay a penalty
The evening came to an end with dar
cling and singing by the soldiers Of tn
Pingyang Regiment. To their braver
In the war between Japan and Chin
these soldiers owe the permission +
wear Corean national costume--tha
is, the national hat and the broa
white robe-instead of the cap, trou!
srs and shoes that are worn by Euro
pean soldiers. Eight soldiers dance
10 an accompaniment of chorus an
of tambourines, while others CAV
some scenes in burlesque of rathe
. free nature. At midnight we too
our leave."-London Globe.
Largest British Land Owner.