Mrs. Isabella Bird Bishop who some years ago won her way into the Royal Geographical Society of England is well known throughout the English-speaking world and beyond as a traveler and a writer. Her "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan," and the account of her travels and experiences in Thibet and other parts of the East are generally regarded as standard works of their kind, and are read and quoted everywhere as authority. And now to these writings must be added another of the same general character and special value—"Korea and Her Neighbors." In this narrative we find that same painstaking and accuracy in matters of detail, that same power of graphic description, that same charm of style which distinguish all of Mrs. Bishop's writings. This work on Korea is without doubt the best and greatest work of travel, which has appeared during its publication year. It is the result of her experiences in and near Korea from early in 1894 to the spring of 1897. During this period it was Mrs. Bishop's good fortune to see the passing away of the old regime in the country and the dawn of a new social and political era; and it is our good fortune that these events should be chronicled by such a careful observer and charming writer.
She arrived at Seoul, the capital, in time to see its 200,000 and more inhabitants turn out to salute, in silence, the sad and silent King on the last of the annual processions of the "Kurdong," surrounded by mediaeval and barbaric pomp ; in which, for five centuries, the King of the "Hermit Kingdom" has shown himself to his people—the King, whose word was absolute, whose name could not be whispered, and who remained secluded from his 12,000,000 subjects the rest of the year in the palace.
She saw the Japanese occupation in 1894 ; and was received several times by the poor Queen (a fierce, able woman) before her murder, instigated by the Japanese Viscount Miura. But, apart from Mrs. Bishop's vivid descriptions of the country, its history, religions, products, and governments past and present, she is the only traveller and writer who has penetrated into the secrets of the Korean woman's life; and sad enough it appears to be. No other book on Korea is Ho satisfying in its presentation ot the frets of nature and man in Korea as they are to-day. Thin in not a work of history, hut of travel and observation. Yet, in its discussions of the forces and environment which have made the native what he is, it is thorough and illuminating . Mrs. Bishop, as all readers of her books know, has a fascinating style; she tells of her travels both in Korea ana anionic the Russians witti all the arts of rhetoric and the merit ot wondertul directness.
Contents
I. First Impressions Of Korea
II. First Impressions Of The Capital
III. The Kur-dong
IV. Seoul, The Korean Mecca
V. The Sailing Of The Sampan
VI. On The River Of Golden Sand
VII. Views Afloat
VIII. Natural Beauty—The Rapids
IX. Korean Marriage Customs
X. The Korean Pony—Korean Roads And Inns
XI. Diamond Mountain Monasteries
XII. Along The Coast
XIII. Impending War—Excitement At Chemulpo
XIV. Deported To Manchuria
XV. A Manchurian Deluge — A Passenger Cart —An Accident
XVI. Mukden And Its Missions
XVII. Chinese Troops On The March
XVIII. Nagasaki—Wladivostok
XIX. Korean Settlers In Siberia
XX. The Trans-siberian Railroad
XXI. The King's Oath—An Audience
XXII. A Transition Stage
XXIII. The Assassination Of The Queen
XXIV. Burial Customs
XXV. Song-do: A Royal City
XXVI. The Phyong-yang Battlefield
XXVII. Northward Ho!
XXVIII. Over The An-kil Yung Pass
XXIX. Social Position Of Women
XXX. Exorcists And Dancing Women
XXXI. The Hair-cropping Edict
XXXII. The Reorganized Korean Government
XXXIII. Education And Foreign Trade
XXXIV. Dvemonism Or Shamanism
XXXV. Notes On D.kmonism Concluded
XXXVI. Seoul In 1897
XXXVII. Last Words On Korea
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 1898; REFORMATTED FO
She arrived at Seoul, the capital, in time to see its 200,000 and more inhabitants turn out to salute, in silence, the sad and silent King on the last of the annual processions of the "Kurdong," surrounded by mediaeval and barbaric pomp ; in which, for five centuries, the King of the "Hermit Kingdom" has shown himself to his people—the King, whose word was absolute, whose name could not be whispered, and who remained secluded from his 12,000,000 subjects the rest of the year in the palace.
She saw the Japanese occupation in 1894 ; and was received several times by the poor Queen (a fierce, able woman) before her murder, instigated by the Japanese Viscount Miura. But, apart from Mrs. Bishop's vivid descriptions of the country, its history, religions, products, and governments past and present, she is the only traveller and writer who has penetrated into the secrets of the Korean woman's life; and sad enough it appears to be. No other book on Korea is Ho satisfying in its presentation ot the frets of nature and man in Korea as they are to-day. Thin in not a work of history, hut of travel and observation. Yet, in its discussions of the forces and environment which have made the native what he is, it is thorough and illuminating . Mrs. Bishop, as all readers of her books know, has a fascinating style; she tells of her travels both in Korea ana anionic the Russians witti all the arts of rhetoric and the merit ot wondertul directness.
Contents
I. First Impressions Of Korea
II. First Impressions Of The Capital
III. The Kur-dong
IV. Seoul, The Korean Mecca
V. The Sailing Of The Sampan
VI. On The River Of Golden Sand
VII. Views Afloat
VIII. Natural Beauty—The Rapids
IX. Korean Marriage Customs
X. The Korean Pony—Korean Roads And Inns
XI. Diamond Mountain Monasteries
XII. Along The Coast
XIII. Impending War—Excitement At Chemulpo
XIV. Deported To Manchuria
XV. A Manchurian Deluge — A Passenger Cart —An Accident
XVI. Mukden And Its Missions
XVII. Chinese Troops On The March
XVIII. Nagasaki—Wladivostok
XIX. Korean Settlers In Siberia
XX. The Trans-siberian Railroad
XXI. The King's Oath—An Audience
XXII. A Transition Stage
XXIII. The Assassination Of The Queen
XXIV. Burial Customs
XXV. Song-do: A Royal City
XXVI. The Phyong-yang Battlefield
XXVII. Northward Ho!
XXVIII. Over The An-kil Yung Pass
XXIX. Social Position Of Women
XXX. Exorcists And Dancing Women
XXXI. The Hair-cropping Edict
XXXII. The Reorganized Korean Government
XXXIII. Education And Foreign Trade
XXXIV. Dvemonism Or Shamanism
XXXV. Notes On D.kmonism Concluded
XXXVI. Seoul In 1897
XXXVII. Last Words On Korea
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 1898; REFORMATTED FO
