The Coolidge examiner., 1934-02-23


Orient. the women's dress is de-
cidedly unattractive. Its shapeless-
ness would make a sylph look like a
sack Of potatoes.
Women's Ugly Costumes.
The hair is worn In the most
ugly way possible; parted In the
middle, then brushed back at either
side OF the head, and wound into
a tight knot Mt the nape OF the neck
In a way that would make the
Venus OF Milo look like Sis Hop
kins. Especially is the polished
forehead ruthlessly exposed and
brought into prominence.
One would say that the hldeous-
ness OF the women's costume might
cause the attraction OF Korean
men to the kelsaing. or profession
al dancing girls, II they had evolved
anything prettier: but the improve
ment Is slight. The keisaing do
pull out the hair on their temples
and make a somewhat softer hair
line than that of the other women.
but they draw IL In the same tight
knots.
The keisaing have adopted pret-
tier sleeve. which Is very long and
trimmed with gay ribbons. They
wear brighter colors and many or
naments. Their dancing feet are
tiny. when you can get glimpse
OF them beneath the volumlnous
skirts. which trail all around; but.
for professional dancers. they are
the most vigorously covered women
In the world.
Songdo was the High Tree Capital
OF Korea from the Tenth century
until 1892. during the Koral dynas-
ty. the Ellzabethan Age Of Korea
Almost everything that Is loveliest
In Korean art and literature Is OF
the Korai period. and most of the
arts OF this golden age are now
lost. the making OF celadon, for
instance.
Songdo was also walled city
and is still wonderful and exten-
sIve. The palace of the old Korean
caesars is entirely gone-more the
pity-though there Is something dis
appointing. to many western minds.
In Chinese. Korean. and japanese
palaces. There Is too much wooden
simplicity. too much dependence on
paint and lacquer. not enough COM
fort, and no precious stones. They
are neither barbarous nor civilized,
lust bare and uncomfortable look
ing.
Apparently there has not been a
fire in Songdo for thousand years.
Looking down from the heights, one
sees the remarkable thatched roofs
OF this old, old city. their ancient
designs mlraculously preserved.
Each house seems TO follow any
line it's owner may have fancied.
They are almost never square.
Some are shaped like horseshoes,
some like crescent moons. and 9TH
ers are fashioned like gridirons. All
have a thick mushroom thatch.
Scenery at Pyengyano.
About 162 miles north OF Seoul
charming old Hello (Pyengyang)
sprawls on blufflike hills which rise
above the sweeping Daido (Dai-
dong) river.
One has missed much In this Her
NIT kingdom until one has stood
In the pavilion that Is perched atop
Botanical. or Peony Point. and
seen the superb panorama OF noun
tains, plain. city. and the sparkling
river. Well might Korea's tradition
al founder who coined the title.
Land of Morning Calm. have stood
on this very emipence and watched
the play of light and clouds over
the marvellous landscape.
Up and down and across the
swift t-moving waters OF the DaidO
ply numerous cargo craft and fer
ryboats, their white and golden
sails gllnting in the sunlight. Earth
er downstream. spans OF a modern
steel bridge vault the river. and
still farther off rise smoking fac
tory chimneys. a Twentieth-century
touch impinging on the scene.
II Is said that the falling OF mi
raculous snowstorm showed the VI
dynasty where to build the walls Of
Keiio (SeouD. known as the Snow
Capital. Now the Temple Of Heay-
en- is the dancing room of tourist
hotel; some OF the Crenelated walls
have been torn down and traffic now
skirts around az well as through
the old gates. The exquisite tea
house. like that pictured on the
Willow Pattern plate. only far love
lier. where Queen Min used u Ell
tertain the Chinese ENJOYS. has been
razed and no longer rises in 1--we
illness from its lotus bed.
Modern banks and Offices. monu-
mental stone government buildings,
and wide tramway-and-bus-served
streets have given the metropolis
a thoroughly up-to-date. businesslike
appearance rather than that Of an
oriental capital.