The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-27
KOREA, HERMIT NATION
AWAkEAS FROM SLEEP

Washington, p. c.. March 2s.--
Korea, erstwhile hermit nation
scene of extensive riots, and petition
er to the Paris peace conference for
Independent sovereignty, is the sub
Ject of a bulletin from the National
Geographic Society.
The bulletin, which is based on a
communication to the society from
William w. Chaplin. follows:
Comparatively little was known of
Korea prior to 1882, as up to that
year she was a hermit nation. salts
fled with her own resources and con-
ditions, only anxious to be left undis-
turbed. indeed, previous to that date,
il Is said to We been death, not alone
TO the foreigner who landed on her
shore, but to the native who gave
him shelter.
Korea, although usually consia-
cred peninsula, is in reality an
island, ITS miles of its northern boup-
dairy being the River Yalu and the re-
mainder the River Turner. both of
which are outlets of the same lake IN
the Northern Mountains the former
flowing west and the latter east. The
dimensions of Korea are about 1876
shs soc miles, with an area, includin e
it's numerous small islands, OF about
100000 square miles--not far from
the size of New York and Pennsyl-
vania. The arabic land comprises
only about one-quarter of its surface,
range of exceedingly barren noun
tains and scantily clad hills extending
its entire length. The climate is
about the same as New York and
Pennsylvania. excepting q season of
six weeks of the wettest kind of rain
Raising of rice is the chief occu-
patton of the people, although Korea
Is said to be the fifth largest cot tom
producing country in the world. In
customs and looks the people re-
semble the Japanese in some ways.
and although they have many no.
ticeable peculiarities: laziness. as some
writer's have charged, is not one OF
them. Many varieties of fruit thrive
and the country is rich in coal and
nearly all mineral products
white clothing is the emblem of
mourning in Korea, as il is in Japan
and China; the mourning period Is
three years. On the occasion of ne
death of royal parsonage the entire
population must put on white. This
custom lis said to be accountable for
the people having adopted white
clothing for ordinary wear, that they
might be ready for the inevita BILE
when il should come. either in their
own or in the royal family.
"Enterprising shop-keepers i'll
seoul, Korea. evinced their desire for
English trade by signs. some of which
were fun OF detail: Handkerchief
special occupation Copper. iron, lead
and repaired store Broker for sew
ssy75s A..ssy1<sc zef sysasS.-e SVxsss elk !
Cow meat Firm and without fade
at bedyed for many colors. are self
explanatory.
Over a drugstore was, Every
medicine is required for small or
wholesale. followed by the assur-
ance that all kinds of sickness must
be examined or cured while hanging
in the window of vacant building
within next door.
The raincoat used by tine Korean
peasant and farmer is in shape a
long cloak fastened around the neck.
and Is made OF long straw. one layer
overhanging another similar to q
matched roof, and is only effective
when the wearer stand erect nndes
the broad brimmed hat.
The poultry peddler is a familiar
object on the streets in this city bear
ing his load of cackiing merchandise
in cage on his back--a method Of
vending to our minds. far more re-
assuring TO the purchaser than holds
among the Chinese, where dressed
fowls are offered for sale, prepared by
some process giving them the appear
ance of having tainted. SO sickly white
do they look"