Ein Verschlossenes Land: Reisen nach Korea (A Forbidden Land: Voyage to the Corea) by Ernst Oppert (1880)

 A Forbidden Land: Voyages To The Corea, With An Account Of Its Geography, History, Productions And Commercial Capabilities, Etc. Paperback – June 1, 2007

by Ernst Oppert (Author)

Language: English

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(pp.30-31)

 It is at the same time the royal residence and the seat of the central government. It counts at present from 100,000 to 150,000 inhabitants, and is the largest and most important city in the kingdom. Most of the noble families live here at least a portion of the year. 

 The streets are a good deal wider than those in Chinese cities, but the public buildings, the houses of the klghor classes, and even tbu royal palaces, can bear no corn-parson with the houses of the richer classes in any of the larger towns of China. Large temples or joss-houses, rich in gilt and many-coloured ornamental carvings, such as we find in the letter country, we look for in vain; and the general impression of the town, with its low, one storied, mostly mud-built houses, is but a poor one, and certainly not such as could be expected to be made by the first city and capital of a kingdom like Cores. 

 Any one expeering to find here shops like those of Canton, Ningpo, or of Japanese towns, with their rich and beautiful contents of ivory and lacquerware of wood and iron workmanship, would be grievously disappointed. The fortications of Saoul, like these of other large Corean cities, consist of a simple stone wall some nine to ten feet high, in no way fitted to protect it efficiently. Up to the date of the French expedition. this wall was in a sad state of repair, and had been allowed to tumble down in places. These gaps live since been filled up, but no attempt has been made to strengthen them, or to improve the old style of fortification. This is thought the less necessary at the Corean Government is too deeply convinced of its invincibility to fear any assault from foreigners. It is to be hoped that the time may not he far distant when it will be taught the contrary. and be reduced to admit the absurdity of its belial in its own superior bravery and power. 

(p.39)

respective posts, however, only for s term of two years, which term is in prolonged for another year, an straighement that can hardly be eondueive to the prosperity of the eountey end to the good magement of public business. At the expirtinu of this period a purehere-money, varying in amount according to the value and importance of the appointrueut, has to be paid by each, and they are removed to some other place. In consequence of this continual changing from place to place the officers never have sufficient time to become properly acquainted with the character of the communities to which they are nominated; they take no interest in the welfare of the people under their charge, and their only object is to repay themselves during the short term of office allowed to them, and as fast as they can, by all sorts of unlawful and extortionate expedients. That the people are made to super donbly by this baneful system appears to be matter of no moment; while the Government, on the other hand, gains the two objects it has in view to flu its exchequer by the frequent sale of pesces, and to prevent any approach between the population and the local authorities. 

 (pp.48-49)

Among the nations of the universe who claim to have attained a certain degree of culture, and profess to live in a state of civilization, there is none whose literature shows a greater incompleteness and deficiency respecting its own origin and history than that of the Coreans. It appears almost as if not one of all pretended native scholars had been willing or able to writs a record of the history of the country, or that the accounts left by Japanese and Chinese historians were considered sufficiently complete to supply the want; for we should actually know nothing whatever of its historical past is it had not been for the latter, whom alone we have to thank {'or any accounts which have reached posterity. The fullest and best details we find in Japanese writings, especially of the middle ages and the subsequent centuries, which may be accounted for by the close, but {'or the most part hostile, connexsion between the two countries. 

Up to the beginning of the last century, Corea has almost incessantly been the scene of interior feuds and disorders, and of the thirst of conquest of her nearest neighbours, who settled there either their own disputes between each other, or tried to possess themselves of the supremacy over the country itself. Since the conclusion of the last war with Japan only. and after China had finally desisted from freitleesly attempting to reduce Corea to suhminsinn, this herd-tried country has enjoyed a longer repose, of which the lmpulation, nearly ruined and decimated by continual wars and disorder, was only too much in need. 

 Of those Japanese works, which partly in recording their own history, have taken notice of the events occurring in the neighbout country, and partly directed their attention to the history of Corea alone, there are three which deserve special mention on account of the highly interesting and

(p.135)

; nor is any difference made herein with high and low. ornaments of whatever kind are buried with the dead or put into the graves, and it is as absurd as falseto believe that these ever contain treasure or valuables of any description. The slopes of mountains and hills are chosen in preference a the last resting-place of the dead. At times the bones are collected and burled afre. The burning of the same is hut very rarely practised, and then only by the higher classes. As a general rule no mourning is put on for lead relations; but whenever this is done, and only for parents, it is carried through in a very rigorous manner. The mourner puts on a dress specially adapted to the occasion, covers his bend and the whole face with a pointed hat, and psoses during the mourning season himself, as it were, for dead, avoiding all contact with the outer world, nor is it permitted to address or to molest him in any way during the whole time of mourning. 

The knowledge and treatment of diseases remains still, as may well he presumed, in its infancy in Cores, and is chiefly confined to the use of some known herbs; and whenever those do not take any effect, the disease is generally left to have its own way, perhaps the most reasonable and fortunate course pursued for the patient, The Corean doctors are, if possible, even more ignorant than their colleagues in Chins, and they do not enjoy much respect and consideration.

(p.138) 

 These are also fitted with doors and with windows, in the Japanese style, a fashion no doubt dating from the times of the Japanese conquest and occupation. Sometimes the houses are surrounded by verandas, and built with projecting roofs. On the whole, the Corean dwelling-houses make a very poor impression compared with those of the neighbouring countries, and the Coreans have a great deal to learn before they reach the style of architecture common in China and Japan.  

(pp.144-145)

 On festive ocean'runs, mandarin processions and the lille, they use a kind of metal trumpet or horn, which sounds a long way off, resembling much in tone the Swine cow-horn. 

 Great pleasure is taken in dancing, which is performed in a style altogether different to cure Men and women of course never dance together, as it would be contrary to custom; generally one person dances at a time, while the others look on. The dance is confined to a slow moverecur of the feet, with slight backward and forward motion of the body, the dancer always accompanying himself with a song; the more or less great proficiency of the performer is judged by the way in which he is able to give expression to his various motious. 

 Public entertainments, such as theatrical and other performances, which are so much appreciated in China and Japan, appear to be completely known in Corea. This may be partly ascribed to the lack of a literature of their own; pertly also to the low grade of culture of the people, which does not feel the want of entertainments of this kind. 

 Nor have I met with, or even heard of the existence of' jugglers, &o.; and if there are any in the country to ha found, which I doubt, they will hardly come up to their comrades in the neighbouring countries in proficiency and dexterity.