6 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



are allowed by law, but the practice is considered bad, as it is 

 liable to break up the family relations, and the finger of scorn is 

 often pointed at the man. Rich men have concubines in secret. 



Widows of higher classes never marry, though four hundred 

 years ago they had the privilege of marrying again. This prohi- 

 bition does not extend to the lower classes. Divorces are not per- 

 mitted, but separation takes place in case of adultery ; the man, 

 however, can not marry again. Marriage with a slave girl is 

 considered a great disgrace, and the friends of one who commits 

 such an offense desert him. Children born of such a union, how- 

 ever, are not regarded with reproach. 



MANNERS, HABITS, ETC. The Chinese practice of medicine is 

 in full force ; the lower classes rarely employ a doctor, but ask 

 the advice of gypsies. The people believe that all sickness is 

 caused by evil spirits. Blind people find employment as devil 

 expellers. 



The liquors drunk are distilled and fermented from rice, cor- 

 responding to the Japanese socliiu and sake. An impure wine is 

 made from oats ; there is also a malt wine resembling ale. Liq- 

 uors, cordials, or wines are made from bamboo, honey, peach, 

 and pear mixed with sake. A wine is made out of the new 

 twigs of the pine ; there is also a wine called the hundred-flower 

 wine. 



A Korean gentleman of high rank assured me that it was con- 

 sidered impolite for children to say " Thank you " to their parents. 

 Parents never thank their children, and at table the expression 

 is not heard. The children eat at a separate table from their 

 parents. It is considered impolite to smoke in the presence of 

 another without asking permission and offering tobacco. 



As an illustration of the rigid lines of propriety, a young man 

 in the family is chided if he undertakes to make any addition or 

 improvement to the house ; he is told that such work is for the 

 carpenter or cabinet-maker. He must attend to his books; he 

 can not even invent or suggest any device. 



Five hundred years ago the Koreans had paper money ; this 

 was very thick, and varied in size according to the denomination. 

 Until within a hundred years they had gold and silver coins, len- 

 ticular in shape, like the checkers used in the game of "go." 

 The coinage was abandoned by the Government on account of 

 the extensive counterfeiting. The nobles now use these coins as 

 checkers for " go." 



The iron horseshoe was invented by a Korean general who 

 fought against the Japanese invaders in 1596 ; before that time 

 straw horseshoes were used, as in Japan. 



It is customary to build large bonfires near pine forests, to 

 attract and destroy moths, thus preventing destruction of forests. 



