294 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



enclosure. In spring and summer, when all is green and the 

 azaleas in full bloom, it must indeed be a lovely spot. The 

 wooden buildings were very old and picturesque, but, like all 

 else in Korea, rapidly falling to pieces from old age and want of 

 care. A more restful and beautiful spot, with more lovely views 

 of mountain and river, could hardly be found than this abode of 

 the monks, who live in idleness, and care apparently nothing 

 about their surroundings. 



All grassy hills and waste lands are covered with graves, 

 circular mounds, often many close together, all nearly sur- 

 rounded by a horseshoe embankment. In explanation of this 

 I copy the following from Yon Borch's " Imperial Tombs West 

 of Pekin," in the East of Asia Magazine: "On the hangings 

 over the coffin of a rich man are always embroidered two dragons 

 playing with a pearl, which, entrusted to nature alone, accord- 

 ing to ancient Chinese belief, can bestow a favourable place of 

 undisturbed tranquillity to the dead." According to this the last 

 resting-place of a rich man is immediately protected by a hillock 

 as round as possible, from which in a half-circle on both sides is 

 always erected a flatter long-extended mound, completely sur- 

 rounding the tomb proper on three sides. The round hillock 

 represents the pearl, and the two side mounds the dragons. 

 Members of a family are laid to rest near each other, the senior 

 on a higher and the junior on a lower level. In front of the 

 more important ones is placed a large flat granite slab, several 

 feet in length, upon which are put sacrificial offerings of rice, 

 water, &c., for the benefit of the departed spirits. Ancestor 

 worship is very strict, mourning lasts for three years, and every 

 grave is visited on New Year's day at all events. A man will 

 go to his father's grave to announce the approaching marriage of 

 a son. To desecrate a grave means death. Near a town almost 

 every foot of hill is occupied by a grave, and as long as this 

 ancestor worship lasts all that land can never be used for agri- 

 cultural purposes. 



The people in the villages, arid elsewhere too, indeed, appear 

 to be most gentle, polite, and well-mannered ; they are, I be- 

 lieve, not very cleanly in their persons, but a clean white outer 

 garment covers any defect there may be underneath. Their 

 country inns are not, it is said, very pleasant to stay in ; the 

 rooms are hot in winter, small and full of insects, and travelling 



