154 



KOREA — THE HERMIT NATION 



AN KXA.MII-]: iJi Ki'RKAN AKT 



In shape and general outline it is of the Jai)ane.se type. In fact, 

 the Korean claims that the bells of Dai-Nippon have l>een modeled 

 after those of Korea. The quality of the bronze was so excellent 

 that the metal filled every mark in the mold, rej)roducing with i)er- 

 fect fidelity the delicatel}' cut, classical Chinese characters forming the 

 inscription : " Sye Cho the Great, Twelfth Year Man Cha '^year of the 

 cycle) and Moon, the fourth year of the Great Ming Emperor Hsiian- 

 hua (A. D. 1468), the head of the Bureau of Royal Despatches, Sye 

 Ko Chyeng. bearing the title Sa KaChyeng, had this pavilion erected 

 and this bell hung."' 



