The Coolidge examiner., 1934-02-23

" (korea) has been zen. in the cen
controversy during the last two
years. yet the Land Of Morning
Calm" has seldom broken into the
daily news.
There Is something elusive about
the very name OF the Land OF Morn
Ing Calm. Japan, everybody knows;
China. nobody knows. Chosen. or
Korea. her light hidden under a
bushel for centurles-not yet very
tolerant OF tourists and standing
aloof from the coloniZer with all
her proud hearts as shrinking as
the mimosa, and, yet, TO some tray-
elers, the most fascinating country
OF the three. She asked OF the Ages
only to be let alone. but the gift
was denied her.
Under japanese influence and
control. the old OK cart and river
traffic has given way In large part
10 1880 miles OF public and private
ly operated railways, which annual
ly carry some 20.O00.o00 passengers.
The returning traveller notices a
change In the appearance OF Korea.
From a dry. woodless, barren-look-
Ing country, with a heaylng mass
OF graves. II Is fertile, well-wa-
tered. much cultivated. and obvious
iy reforested.
Give life 10 the mountains frst
and you will give life To the ma
tion." a japanese official had ad-
vised. So one OF Japan's FIRST acts
was 10 Introduce an extensive affor-
estation program.
The forests are not yet, of course.
fully grown. but they are well start
ed and will help conserve Korea's
future rainfall.
At several points model farms.
started by the japanese. also give
unquestioned evidence OF the In
creased productivity and prosperity
OF the country. The japanese now
own about half OF the cultivated
land.
Why the Graves Disappeared.
The traveller learns how IL was
that hundreds OF thousands Of
graves have been made to dlsap-
pear. In the old days the sooth-
sayer. and he only. could declare
the most fortunate position for a
grave. often the spot he chose was
the falrest place In the family's
most fertile field. and after the
grave had been placed there it
would not have been respectful 10
the dead 10 cultivate the field. In
a country as old as Korea and with
such reverence for graves, the
result can be imagined. Once grassy
mounds rolled everywhere like the
waves OF the sea.
The japanese changed all that.
In Japan very little land Is given
over TO graveyards. In country
so small. so mountainous. and with
such a teeming population. there Is
OF necessity little waste land. Every
arabic foot Is cultivated. Cremation
was early favored: consequently.
Japanese cemeteries are small and
Insignificant. except occasionally
around a monastery.
In Korea the Japanese estab-
lished graveyards at what seemed
to them appropriate intervals. Kor-
cans who refused TO remove their
ancestors to these cemeteries were
compelled TO pay grave tax. There
was naturally much opposition. for
the graves OF a Korean are his
most cherished possession. But
taxes are taxes. and this tax &C
counts for the increased fertile
acreage.
Korea Is country Of many capt.
tails. AS one came to be considered
unlucky. soothsayers would choose
another. Again. when. from ex-
travagance, bad government, or
reckless taxation. signs OF misfor-
tune began TO appear. the capital
would be moved to new site. just
as loyeless married couples move
from house TO house. hoping TO
leave their discomfort behind them.
Suigen. or Suwan. sometimes
called the Flowery Castle. about
25 miles south OF Seoul, had glory
for a day. as time Is reckoned in
the old, old countries Of the East.
For long years. too, it was one Of
the important defensive outposts of
Seoul, and at one time is said TO
have sheltered $4,000 people. Very
likely it did, perhaps more, for the
ruins are extensive. The city now
has about 1900 people.
In the latter part of the Eight
eenth century the place so capti-
waited one Of the kings of Seoul
that he fiirted with the idea Of
transferring his capital there. The
summer pavilion, lovely in its de-
cay. is all that Is left of the palace
where he frequently used to resort.
Two Of these VI (also called LD
kings, father and son, the latter
having built the city walls. found
their last resting places within Sui
| gems friendly confines.