The Parker post., 1916-07-01

~0S@
after the work is done. The bridges
are usually of stone, well built and
to be used, but the cut stones are f1t.
ted rather carefully. On many of the
bridges in the city stone pillars are
carved to grotesque animal forms at
the top.
The royal palaces have seen their
days of glory. The one most used by
the late king was the north palace.
Some Of the buildings are gone, some
are neglected. The two most interest.
ing were the great audience hall and
the pavilion by. the lotus pond Ap-
proach to the audience hall was strict.
ly regulated. There were nine grades
Of officers, each with two degrees. The
paved way leading up to the audience
hall was evenly spaced by pairs Of
stone posts, one on either side, eighteen
pairs in all; each pair indicated the
distance to which one grade Of official
might approach on occasions Of cere-
mony. The pavilion is large rec.
tangular building, open at the sides
below; the floor Of the second story
is supported by metal capped granite
columns, typical Korean construction.
Here in good weather the ruler and
his guests enjoyed music and dancing
This year these palace grounds were
utilized for the notable industrial ex
hibition, commemorating and illus.
trating five years of the new admin.
istration Of the country.
Useful Stone Monsters.
The old gate of entrance to the pal
ace grounds still stands, facing south
From 1t leads a straight wide avenue
at the sides of which are two strange
stone monsters, worship of which
would surely break no commandment
of the decalogue. These uncouth crea.
lures have story, of course. 1t seems
that when this north palace was first
built 1t was damaged by fire coming
from the south. BY the way, north in
Korea is the best quarter; it is benef
icent. Repairing the damage was time
wasted; fire came again and again. At
last these stone monsters were con-
structed and set up facing the south
point of danger. From that time on
the danger ceased.
With Japanese influence, immigra-
tion, administration, there has grown
up within the city a definite Japanese
section. Japan street is strongly char
acteristic. The change is instant. One
passes from Korea to Japan in a mo-
ment's time. Dress, language, aspect,
shops, goods, movements, manners
all are different.
With the Japanese has come the
jinrikisha vogue. On the whole the
Korean has not taken very kindly to
the little cart.
Korean Shop Displays.
In the old days the few wide streets
OF Seoul were crowded by the shops.
All the early visitors dilate upon this
and find it disagreeable. Korean
shops, like oriental shops in gen.
eral, are open to the losses and the
shopkeeper mourns his once proud dis
play. The shops are not as a whole
of great interest. There are shoe
shops, hat shops, basket shops, seed
and grain shops, and the like. These
are true selling shops. Then there
are carpenter shops and coffin shops
and timers chimney shops, where the
work goes on as well as sales.
One of the most curious is the wed.
ding and funeral outf1tter's. His is @
rental, not sales place. It is only q
few feet in frontage and here the
stock still encroaches on the street.
Here are the things necessary for the
two great family ceremonies. Here
are great wooden candles, carved with
dragons, birds and flowers, all gaudy
with painting; here are wooden geese
the goose being a symbol Of con-
jugal happiness; here are the two
boys, heavenly messengers" bringing
here are bottomless chairs
for ancestral spirits to occupy on an
Inside are other things
all to rent cheaply, always in evidence,
though perhaps more so at the New
Year season {Feb. this year) than
at other times.