The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-02-18

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, D. CO.
COrea, the first part Of mainland
Asia to come under Japanese control,
has in large part received It's material
from western civilization at second
hand through Japan. And in spite of
the American type coaches and even
dining cars that are now drawn In
modern express trains over heavily bal
lasted railroads, and the trolley cars,
telegraph lines and electric power sta
tionS that are encountered by the WIS.,
itors to the chief cities, COrea in many
ways still preserves the quaintness Of
its Hermit Kingdom" days.
1t was only In 1882, a generation
after Commodore Perry opened up
Japan, that Corea, or Chosen, by
making a treaty with the United States
gave up officially its policy Of exclu-
sion. Foreigners took up their resi-
dence with official sanction at Chemul-
po, the seaport Of the capital, Seoul.
Even with this foothold, however, the
unwelcome visitors pushed their way
but slowly into other parts of the king
dom; and as late as 1897 only rela-
lively small portion had been visited
by white men. Now Japanese influ-
ence and japanese explorers have gone
everywhere in the Land of Morning
Calm" and only the wilderness along
the Manchurian border remains rela-
lively unknown.
European clothing is no longer a curl
Osity in Seoul, but still the old garb
Of the natives greatly predominates.
The first feature to strike the visitor,
in fact, is likely to be this matter of
clothing. The universal adoption of
white, the singular hats, the footgear,
all strike the note of quaintness. White
clothing is the emblem Of mourning in
Corea, as it is in Japan and China ;
the mourning period is three years. On
the occasion Of the death of a royal
parsonage the entire population was
required to put on white. This GUS
tom Is said to be accountable for the
people having adopted white clothing
for ordinary wear, that they might be
ready for the inevitable when it should
come, either in their own or in the
royal family.
Queer "PiII-Box Hats"
The ordinary hats of the Corean men
are absurd little "pill-box" affairs,
shaped in general like American stiff
straws, but with high small crowns
which cause them to sit on the top of
the head as though adults were wear
ing the hats Of children. To add to
the bizarre appearance, these little hats
are tied in place under the chin with
plain black tape. Men of wealth often
wear a loop of beads, the ends at
tached to the sides of the brim and the
loop hanging in front to the waist.
Many years ago-long before the
western barbarian" reached the
shores of Chosen-the Coreans were
noted among their Chinese and jap
anese neighbors for the skill and taste
displayed in textile manufactures, and
the products of their looms could be
found side by side with their pottery
in all the markets then open in the
East.
By the slow but sure degradation of
wars, Instructions and invasiOns man.
ufactures and arts in Corea gradually
lost their value in both quality and
quantity, until today her people, rich
and poor alike, are dependent upon
China and Japan for a large percent
age of their clothing and pottery.
There is, however, one branch of
manufacture, the working Of bronze, in
which Corea easily leads, the use of
this metal for domestic purposes be-
ing peculiar to this country. The
bronze, which is Of good quality, hard,
and takes good polish, is of an alloy
Of copper and tin, with a small per
cent Of zinc and trace of iron. The
bronze spoons, with which every FAM
lily Is literally supplied, are models of
grace, as are the hibachis or fire-pots,
which are largely exported to Japan.
These graceful bronze bowls are ap-
piled to every domestic use imagin-
able. The same material is used in
the manufacture of tobacco pipes in
universal demand, and much taste is
displayed In their ornamentation.
Seoul an Interesting City.
Seoul, with its population of over
100000 dominates the cities and towns