KOREAN INTERVIEWS. j 



Religion and Morals. The general Government supports 

 Confucian temples. In one temple there are over two hundred 

 Confucian philosophers. Every county has its temple, with 

 twenty or thirty Confucians. The Government stands in fear of 

 these men, for they vigorously protest if rulers err in any way, 

 and more particularly if their allowance is abbreviated. Con- 

 fucius forbade the study of curious things as disturbing to the 

 mind, and this ridiculous idea has grown into a superstition, and 

 thus a man is prevented from preserving any relic dug from the 

 ground for fear of a ghost following it. Previous to the four- 

 teenth century the country was strongly Buddhist; since that 

 time Confucian doctrines have spread from China, and within 

 four hundred years Buddhists have been expelled from all cities 

 and towns, and their temples have been destroyed. The priests 

 can not even live in the villages, but must live in the mountains 

 away from the villages. A certain Buddhist monument, thirty 

 feet in height, was so beautiful that even Korean bigotry would 

 not destroy it; it was cut halfway down, and the upper half was 

 placed on the ground near the monument's base. 



Pupils of Confucius are taught that if struck on one cheek 

 they must turn the other, and if spat upon they must let it dry, 

 for wiping it away would signify anger. Friendship is believed 

 to be more faithful among Koreans, and the people are supposed 

 to be more truthful than the Chinese or Japanese. 



Burial. The body when buried must be clothed in a shroud 

 made of native cloth ; this differs but slightly from the usual 

 dress. A burial service is held, but no religious ceremony. Poor 

 people hire a hearse, but a rich man will have a special one con- 

 structed. If the deceased cared for any special objects, these are 

 buried with him books, for example. The grave is dug to the 

 depth of six feet. This depth is fixed for all. Books are pub- 

 lished describing the forms of burial. The expenses of a funeral, 

 with the construction of a tomb, a new hearse, etc., are often very 

 great. The body may be kept in the house from three days to 

 three months. Confucian doctrines enjoin a mourning period of 

 three years, during which time no work is done. The king 

 mourns seven days. A prominent feature of the mourner is a hat 

 of large size, which comes down to the shoulders, thus concealing 

 the face. The mourning color is yellow ; it was formerly white. 

 The clothing is always made of flax. No one ever accosts or 

 interrupts a mourner on the street, and Jesuit priests often use 

 the mourners' habiliments as a disguise. 



Operative. Among the various trades and occupations are 

 those coming under the definition of silver- and goldsmiths, iron 

 and bronze workers, builders and architects, wrights of various 

 kinds, masons, decorators, artificers, weavers, saddlers, butchers, 



