The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-03
The Orient as It Is.

The Orient as 1t Is.
Coming to this city of Taiku. in cars
made in Wilmington. Dell and drawn
by Philadelphia made locomotive. I
found the Orient in all it's ancient pic
turesqueness. Port cities always show
the touch ,os the West upon them.
Taiku has not so much as iinrickisha.
nor roads for 1t to travel on. The streets
are narrow lanes. lined with mud fences
and houses Each Korean house has it's
, own compound or enclosure The
houses themselves are very low and
very SINAI The usual room is eight
feet square ana in this whole family
will live. AS for furniture, there Is
practically no such thing. A chest OF
drawers will hold the family possess
sions. while others dangle from the
rafters. a block of wood serves for a
pillow: the Oriental sees nothing
strange in Jacobs stony pillow at
Bethel, The houses are matched with
straw, tied on with ropes. village
from any distance. Large ugly dogs.
noisy but cowardly. swarm the streets
waiting for the inevitable day when
they will find their way onto their mas
ter's tables. Taiku IS surrounded by
a wall, in the fashion of all Korean
cities; but the day / arrived the Japa-
nese had begun to tear this down, at
ter standing for centuries.
This intimate view of Korea revealed
several characteristics. The Korean, in
his person and in his surroundings is
dirty. There is saying here that
the Korean washes his clothes, but not
himself; the Japanese washes himself.
but not his clothes, while the Chinese
washes neither. Korean women seem
to be chiefly engaged in washing clothes
by pounding them on the stones by:
the water. The women do not do coolie
work, rs in Japan. The man is a bland,
genial SORT of fellow, with plenty of
time and inclination for sitting around
on his heels, or lying stretched out In
the sun. He is better looking than his
neighbors to the north or south, and
in physique he is taller and larger. gem
orally than the Japanese: With his top
knot and physique he reminds me OF
the Japanese wrestlers. Centuries OF
graft and oppression have apparently
taken all spirit out of the common
people. Thus 1 found that in this
city the Japanese have usurped the
larger part of the business. and have
taken possession of the best residences.
as well as OF the official quarters. The
Korean wrings his hands, mourns his
country's fate. goes to the nearest
American for help-and then succumbs.
The American Colony Abroad.
on n commanding site outside the city
of Taiku found q settlement of American
missionaries living in houses iof mixed
Korean and Western architecture. Form.
erly some OF them lived In native houses
right down in the heart of the city, where,
| do not hesitate to say, no white man,
missionary or otherwise. should ever live.
| quite agree with the contention thata
missionary should get as close as possible
to his people; hut not at the price OF dis
comfort. darkness. depression. dirt and
disease Which arc in sepurabe from re-
sidence in real native house in a crowd
ed Korean community. The Occident gets
shivers over recitals of tenement house
life in the big cities: but the worst of that
Is not comparable with tho way millions
of Orientals live.
These missionaries at Taiku are all
presbyterian. except the Fhench priest,
who has an imposing European church on
the edge OF the city. The Presbyterians.
North. South and Canadian. and tho Met
hodists, North and South and the Roman
Catholics, have u monopoly of the mission
work In Korea. except a modest enterprisa
by tho Australian Presbyterians and the
Anglicans, All the missionaries In Taiku
are young people; yet some are called
"old missionaries" which reminds one
OF the fact that NIL mission work in
Korea Is of comparatively recent develop
ment. 1t is only 20 years since Korea
was 'the hermit nation, and 20 years
since the arrival of the first missionary,
each year since tho beginning the number
of converts has beep doubling. and the
additions to the Protestant churches for
N'DnInnaI n