Corea, the Hermit Nation ... Sixth edition ... enlarged. With an additional chapter on Corea in 1897

Front matter

Works by Wm. Elliot Griff is the mikado's empire japanese fairy world corea, the hermit nation matthew calbraith perry the lily among thorns honda, the samurai sir william johnson japan: in history, folk-lore, and art brave little holland the religions op japan townsend harris a city in corea. COEE A The Hermit Nation I.— ANCIENT AND MEDIÆVAL HISTORY II.— POLITICAL AND SOCIAL COREA III.— MODERN AND RECENT HISTORY EY WILLIAJVI ELLIOT GRIFFIS FORMERLY OF THE IMPERIAL ITNIVERSITY OF TOKIO, JAPAN AUTHOR OF " THE MIKADO'S EMPIRE " Sixth Edition, Revised and Enlarged With Additional Chapter on COREA IN 1897 NEW YOEK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Copyright, 1882, 1888, 1897 By CHARLES SCRIBNEK'S SONS TROW DIRECTORY PRlNTINQ AND BOOK BINDING COMPANY NEW YORK THE T TO ALL COREAN PATRIOTS: WHO SEEK BT THE AID OP SCIENCE, TROTH, AND PURE RELIGION, TO ENLIGHTEN THEMSELVES AND TnEIR FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN, TO RID THEIK LAND OP SUPERSTITION, BIGOTRY, DESPOTISM, AND PRIESTCRAFT— BOTH NATIVE AND FOREIGN — AND TO PRESERVE INTEGRITY, INDEPENDENCE, AND nONOR, OF THEIR COUNTRY THIS UNWORTHY SKETCH OF THEIR PAST HISTORY AND PRESENT CONDITION IS DEDICATED.

Preface

TO THE SIXTH EDITION. Old Corea is passing away so fast, and the once " hermit nation " is now so active in the world's market-place, that the first edition of this volume steadily gains new interest and value as a record of things no longer existing. In notes and the supplementary chapters, " Corea in 1888" and " Corea in 1897," I have endeavored to outline recent history and show the new order of things and striking events to date. The author frankly acknowledges that in Part II. , " Political and Social Corea," there are descriptions of things and customs which are now obsolete, and that these chapters do not represent the views of an eye-witness on the soil in 1897 — for which, on account of the vast changes, God be praised. For, since the coming of Christian missionaries especially, and of Western influences in general, there is much improvement and more hope.

Having been written in the years before 1882, these chapters remain very much as they were, with their pictures reproduced from drawings of Mr. N. Ogawa, of Tokio, as an attempt to show what was, not what is, and to represent old Cho-sen, out of which the new and better Corea is emerging to a nobler life. In spite of the miseries of a transition era, the new nation, whether weak and alone, or under a joint protectorate of the Great Powers, has yet, I am persuaded, a long bright day of happy usefulness in the world. I have neither enlarged the index nor added to the bibliography on p. xxiii. Thanks to the scholarly missionaries and gentlemen in the consular and diplomatic services, we have now a notable list of monographs treating of Corean language, literature, politics, and history. I recommend to the student the reading of parts of the translations in English of the Kojiki, by Chamberlain, and the Nihongi, by Aston, and the various papers on Corean subjects in

PREFACE.

TO THE SIXTH EDITION. the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, and in the various publications of French, German, and English societies of oriental learning in China and Europe. For general information, and for record and interpretation of current history, The Korean Reposi tory, a monthly magazine in English, published in Seoul by The Trilinqual Press, is of unique value. Other books for the student are the grammatical works and dictionaries, Dr. Horace G. Underwood's An Introduction to the Korean Spoken Language, and Korean-English and English-Korean Dictionary ; (1889), and Mr. James Scott's English-Korean Dictionary and Manual ; (1891) ; Rev. James S. Gale's Grammatical Forms (1894) and Unabridged Corean and English Dictionary (1897) ; the Bibliographic Coreene, in three volumes, by Maurice Courant (Paris, 1896) ; Dr. Walter Hough's Study and Catalogue of the Bernadou, Allen, and Jouy Corean Collection in the United States National Museum (Wash ington, 1893), and the Corean Tales of Dr. H. N. Allen (New York, 1889) ; the Korean Games of Mr. Stewart Culin (Philadel phia, 1895), and the forthcoming History of the Eeigning Dynasty in Corea, by Rev. Homer B. Hulbert, editor of Tlte Korean Repos itory.

Heartily returning thanks to the many correspondents in Corea who have helped me, I trust that " Corea, the Hermit Nation," may continue to be of use to all interested in the little pivot coun try of the Far East. W. E. G. Ithaca on Lake Cayuga, January 27, 1897.

PREFACE.

TO THE THIRD EDITION". The reception of this work, both in the United States and Eu rope, as well as in the East, has been most kindly. From those best able to criticise it thoroughly, by having made themselves familiar by travel in the interior of Corea beyond the ports and capital, have come gratifying words of high appreciation. Of course errors have been pointed out, and these, wherever proved, have been corrected in the present edition. The publishers have also generously permitted the introduction of new matter, in the form of foot-notes, and the addition of a supplementary chapter. The author returns hearty thanks to Ensign G. C. Foulk and Lieutenant J. G. Bernadou, United States Navy ; General Lucius H. Foote, Mr. Pierre L. Jouy, Rev. Horace C. Underwood, Dr. H. N. Allen, Mr. W. G. Aston, Mr. Percival Lowell, Mr. W. R. Carles, Rev. Henry Loomis, Sob Kwang Pom, Yu Kil Jun, Pien Su, and the other naval officers, natives, travellers, missionaries, and resi dents in Corea who have aided him with their criticisms, or infor mation.

He will be grateful if others will point out inaccuracies. He is heartily glad that others have entered the field to awaken in terest in the once " hermit nation," which is soon to become, let us hope, civilized, social, and Christian. W. E. G. Boston, June 30, 1888. The publishers have informed the author of their intention to issue an edition of the present work in a cheaper form. By their courtesy, he would improve the opportunity to add a few words of comment upon our present knowledge of Corea, and upon affairs in Cho-sen since the treaty was made with the United States. Concerning the first matter there is little to be said. A con siderable number of naval, diplomatic, missionary, and commercial visitors from America and Europe have visited the Corean capital and parts adjacent. Few of them have gone beyond beaten tracks ; and, owing to recent political disorders, thorough research has as yet hardly begun.

We look, however, for results of value from the presence of the American missionaries and the scientific commission now in the country. We have not, therefore, made any addition to our text. The reception of this work, both in this country and Europe, has been most kindly. Since its issue, in October, 1882, several events of interest have occurred, of which we here take note. The treaty negotiated by Commodore Shufeldt was duly ratified by the United States Senate, and on February 26, 1883, Presi dent Arthur sent in the name of Lucius H. Foote as minister plenipotentiary to Corea. The appointment was confirmed on the following day. General Foote reached -Chi-mul-po, in the U. S. Steamship Monocacy, May 13th, and the formal ratifications of the treaty were exchanged in the capital six days later.

The guns of the Monocacy — the same which shelled the Han forts in 1870 — fired the first salute ever given to the Corean fla"-. The king responded by sending to the United States an em bassy of eleven persons, led by Min Yong Ik and Hong Yon"- Sik members respectively of the Conservative and Liberal parties. Their interview with President Arthur was in the parlors of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, on September 17th. All the Coreans were dressed in thennational costume, which they wore habitually while in America. After spending some weeks in the study of American institutions in several cities, part of the embassy returned home by way of San Francisco, leaving one of their num ber at Salem, Mass., to remain as a student ; while Min Yong Ik and two secretaries embarked on the U. S. Steamship Trenton, and, after visiting Europe, reached Seoul in June, 18S4.

The author spent a most profitable and pleasant evening, November 27th, with the three Coreans before they left New York. Many questions con cerning their country were discussed. Mr. Everett Fraser, No. 123 Front Street, New York City, now acts as his Corean majesty's consul-general in the United States. On that same evening, November 27, 1883, there was a banquet in the Corean capital to celebrate the signing of the treaties made the day before with Great Britain and Germany. Sir Harry Parkes and Herr Zappe had succeeded in negotiating conventions whicli are even more liberal in their provisions than that made with the United States. The principal foreign adviser of the Corean government since 1882 has been Herr Paul von Mollenforf, whom the Coreans employed at the suggestion of Li Hung Chang.

Italy and Russia have also entered into diplomatic relations with Corea. Other evidences of the influence of the West upon Corea were the opening of a telegraph-office at Fusan, February 28, 1884, on the completion of the submarine electric cable from Nagasaki, the emis sion of native silver coins, and the inauguration of light-house and postal systems. While everything seemed to promise well for the nascent civilization imported from Christendom, the political situation was one fraught with danger. The military camps of two rival, almost hos tile, nations were upon the soiL A Corean Liberal declares that the sending of Chinese troops to Corea in 1882 was the work of two or three Chinese leaders, under the pretext of protecting China from Russian invasion. Their real, but secret, purpose was, he de clares, to prevent the Coreans from adopting western civilization.

"The seed of the riot [of December 4-6, 1884] was sown by Chi nese barbarism, and ripened by Chinese cruelty." The affair was in its origin a popular demonstration, instigated by Radical Progressives against Chinese influence as exhibited by a rapacious and undisciplined soldiery. It took the form of a mur derous attack upon the conservative or pro-Chinese ministers of the court, five or six of whom were slain. During the excitement an angry mob surrounded the palace, and the king sent for the pro tection of the Japanese legation-guards. The Chinese military re sented this, moved on the royal residence, and a collision was pre cipitated, in wliich several tens of men were killed. A bloody battle ensued, and the Japanese, greatly outnumbered, retreated in good order to their legation. This building was besieged by the mob, and finally deserted by the Japanese, who, with all their country men, left the city for Chi-mul-po.

The legation, wliich had cost $80,000, and the army stores were, with much other property in the city, fired by the rioters. The foreigners in Seoul took refuge in General Foote's house, and soon afterward left for Chi-mul-po. Dr. H. N. Allen, the American surgeon, was kept busy for weeks in attendance upon the victims wounded in the rioting, num bering about one hundred. The house of Hong Yong Sik, who had been beheaded by the Chinese, was by government order turned into a hospital, or " House of Civilized Virtue," and put in charge of Dr. Allen. Ensign George W. Foulk and Lieutenant J. B. Bernadon, of the U. S. Navy, remained in the legation during the exodus of foreigners from Seoul, our flag not being lowered at any time. Mr. Foulk writes under date of June, 1885 : " In Corea, I used it ["Corea, the Hermit Nation,"] as a field book ; but in the disturbances of December last, my house was looted by the mob, and all my effects carried off.

The library of the palace was lost at the same time ; so that I must infer the book you sent to His Majesty was also lost." The Corean Government has recently made claim upon that of Japan for the extradition of the Liberals who had fled to the lat ter country — a demand very properly refused. Three of these refugees arrived in San Francisco, June 11, 1885. Their names are Pak Yong Ho, a nobleman, and envoy to Japan in 1881 ; So Kwang Pom, secretary to the embassy to the United States in 1883 ; and Sai Jai Pil, a graduate of the Tokio Military Academy. All were members of the Liberal ministry overthrown, in December last, during the tumult. Negotiations between China and Japan relative to the affair of December, 1884, were carried on between the Mikado's Ambassador Ito and Li Hung Chang, at Tientsin.

They resulted in a treaty, which was formally ratified May 7, 1885. Both powers agreed to withdraw their troops within four months, and to invite the King of Corea to have a sufficient military force drilled for the public security by officers selected from a third power (probably the United States). The text of the treaty was published May 27th. The attention of Christian people is now being concentrated upon Corea as a missionary field. With commendable promptness no less than ten American missionaries are, at this writing, either already in their field, or on the route thither. A number of native refugees in Japan are under Christian influences, and are earnest inquirers. Some are pronounced believers, and one Rijiutei is trans lating the Bible into his native language. Three representative men are now among us, in our own land, studying our country and the faith of her people.

The Corean character seems to be a happy medium between the stolid Chinaman and the changeable Japanese. With the memory of recent martyrdoms, Corea may become Chris tian sooner and more thoroughly than Japan, and aid in the mighty work of evangelizing China. This is the faith held by some who have studied the three peoples. The feeling of the progressive men of Corea concerning them selves and ourselves finds expression in a recent letter from one of their number. These sentiments may fitly conclude our introduc tory words to an edition of a book designed to make our new treaty-neighbor better known : "We are the weakest nation in the orient, on account of our having been for thousands of years in a hermit condition." "We are a new-born nation, and but three years of age. " If we should reckon our national age, in regard to our political relations to other nations in the world, it would begin from the treaty that we made with the United States." Schenectady, N. Y., July 6, 1885.

PREFACE.

. In the year 1871, while living at Fukui, in the province of Echizen, Japan, I spent a few days at Tsuruga and Mikuni, by the sea which separates Japan and Corea. Like " the Saxon shore" of early Britain, the coast of Echizen had been in primeval times the landing-place of rovers, immigrants, and adventurers from the continental shore opposite. Here, at Tsuruga, Corean envoys had landed on their way to the mikado 's court. In the temple near by were shrines dedicated to the Corean Prince of Mimana, and to Jingu KogG, Ojin, and Takenoucki, whose names in Japanese tra ditions are associated with "The Treasure-land of the West." Across the bay hung a sweet-toned bell, said to have been cast in Corea in a.d. 647 ; in which tradition — untested by chemistry — declared there was much gold. Among the hills not far away, nestled the little village of Awotabi (Green Nook), settled centuries ago by paper-makers, and visited a millenium ago by tribute bearers, from the neighboring peninsula ; and famous for produ cing the crinkled paper on whicli the diplomatic correspondence between the two nations was written.

Some of the first families in Echizen were proud of their descent from Cho-sen, while in the villages, where dwelt the Eta, or social outcasts, I beheld the de scendants of Corean prisoners of war. Everywhere the finger of tradition pointed westward across the waters to the Asian mainland, and the whole region was eloquent of "kin beyond sea." Birds and animals, fruits and falcons, vegetables and trees, farmers' implements and the potter's wheel, names in geography and thing*

PREFACE.

. XV in the arts, and doctrines and systems in religion were in some way connected with Corea. The thought often came to me as I walked within the moss grown feudal castle walls — old in story, but then newly given up to schools of Western science and languages — why should Corea be sealed and mysterious, when Japan, once a hermit, had opened her doors and come out into the world's market-place ? When would Corea's awakening come? As one diamond cuts another, why should not Cho-ka (Japan) open Cho-sen (Corea) ? Turning with delight and fascination to the study of Japanese history and antiquities, I found much that reflected light upon the neighbor country. On my return home, I continued to search for materials for the story of the last of the hermit nations. No mas ter of research in China or Japan having attempted the task, from what Locke calls " the roundabout view," I have essayed it, with no claim to originality or profound research, for the benefit of the general reader, to whom Corea " suggests," as an American lady said, "no more than a sea-shell."

Many ask "What's in Corea?" and " Is Corea of any importance in the history of the world ? " My purpose in this work is to give an outline of the history of the Land of Morning Calm — as the natives call thencountry — from before the Christian era to the present year. As " an honest tale speeds best, being plainly told," I have made no attempt to em bellish the narrative, though I have sought information from sources from within and without Corea, in maps and charts, coins and pottery, the language and art, notes and narratives of eye-witnesses, pencil-sketches, paintings aud photographs, the standard histories of Japan and China, the testimony of sailor and diploma tist, missionary and castaway, and the digested knowledge cf critical scholars. I have attempted nothing more than a historical outline of the nation and a glimpse at the political and social life of the people.

For lack of space, the original manuscript of " Recent and Modern History," part HI., has been greatly abridged, and many topics of interest have been left untouched. The bulk of the text was written between the years 1877 and

PREFACE.

. 1880 ; since vvhich time the literature of the subject has been en riched by Ross's "Corea" and "Corean Primer," besides the Gram mar and Dictionary of the Corean language made by the French missionaries. With these linguistic helps I have been able to get access to the language, and thus clear up doubtful points and ob tain much needed data. I have borrowed largely from Dallet's " Histoire d'Eglise de Coree," especially in the chapters devoted to Folk-lore, Social Life, and Christianity. In the Bibliography following the Preface is a list of works to which I have been more or less indebted. Many friends have assisted me with correspondence, advice, or help in translation, among whom I must first thank my former stu dents, Hasegawa, Hiraii, Haraguchi, Matsui, and Imadatte, and my newer Japanese friends, Ohgimi and Kimura, while others, alas ! will never in this world see my record of acknowledgment — K. Yaye' and Egi Takato— whose interest was manifested not only in discussion of mooted points, but by search among the book-shops in Kioto and Tokio, which put much valuable standard matter in my hands.

I also thank Mr. Charles Lanman, Secretary of the Legation of Japan in Washington, for four ferrotypes taken in Seoul in 1878 by members of the Japanese embassy ; Mr. D. R. Clark, of the United States Transit of Venus Survey, for four photographs of the Corean villages in Russian Manchuria ; Mr. R. Ideura, of Tokio, for a set of photographs of Kang-wa and vicinity, taken in 1876, and Mr. Ozawa Nankoku, for sketches of Corean articles in Japanese museums. To Lieutenant Wadhams, of the United States Navy, for the use of charts and maps made by himself while in Corea in 1871, and for photographs of flags and other trophies, now at Annapolis, captured in the Han forts ; to Fleet-Surgeon H. O. Mayo, and other officers of the United States Navy, for valuable information, I hereby express my grateful appreciation of kindness shown.

I would that Admiral John Rodgers, Commodore H. C. Blake, aDd Minister F. F. Low were living to receive my thanks for their courtesies personally shown me, even though, in attempting to write history, I have made criticisms also. To Lieutenant N. Y. Yanagi, of the Hyrographic Bureau, of the Japanese Navy, for a

PREFACE.

XVII set of charts of the coast of Corea ; to Mr. Metcalfe, of Milwaukee, for photographs of Coreans ; to Miss Marshall, of New York, foi making colored copies of the battle-flags captured by our naval battalion in 1871, and for the many favors of correspondents — in St. Petersburg, Mr. Hoffman Atkinson ; in Peking, Jugoi Arinori Mori ; in Tokio, Dr. D. B. McCartee, Hon. David Murray, Rev. J. L. Amerman, and others whose names I need not mention. To Gen. George W. McCullum, Vice-President, and to Mr. Leopold Lin dau, Librarian, of the American Geographical Society, I return my warmest thanks ; as well as to my dear wife and helpmeet, for her aid in copying, proof-reading, suggestions, and criticism during the progress of the work. In one respect, the presentation of such a subject by a compiler, while shorn of the fascinating element of personal experience, has an advantage even over the narrator who describes a country through which he has travelled.

With the various reports of many wit nesses, in many times and places, before him, he views the whole subject and reduces the many impressions of detail to unity, cor recting one by the other. Travellers usually see but a portion of the country at one time. The compiler, if able even in part to con trol his authorities, and if anything more than a tyro in the art of literary appraisement, may be able to furnish a hand-book of in formation more valuable to the general reader. In the use of my authorities I have given heed to Bacon's ad vice — tasting some, chewing others, and swallowing few. In ancient history, original authorities have been sought, and for the story of modern life, only the reports of careful eye-witnesses have been set down as facts ; while opinions and judgments of alien occidentals concerning Corean social life are rarely borrowed without due flavoring of critical salt.

Corean and Japanese life, customs, beliefs, and history are often reflections one of the other. Much of what is reported from Corea, which the eye-witnesses themselves do not appear to understand, is perfectly clear to one familiar with Japanese life and history. China, Corea, and Japan are as links in the same chain of civilization. Corea, like Cyprus between Egypt and Greece, will yet

PREFACE.

. supply many missing details to the comparative student of language, art, science, the development of civilization, and the distribution ol life on the globe. Some future writer, with more ability and space at command than the undersigned, may discuss the question as to how far the opening of Corea to the commerce of the world has been the result of internal forces ; the scholar, by his original research, may prepare the materials for a worthy history of Corea during the two or three thousand years of her history ; the geologist or miner may deter mine the question as to how far the metallic wealth of Corea will affect the monetary equilibrium of the world. The missionary has yet to prove the full power of Christianity upon the people — and before Corean paganism, any form of the rehgion of Jesus, Roman, Greek or Reformed, should be welcomed ; while to the linguist, the man of science, and the political economist, the new country opened by American diplomacy presents problems of profound in terest.

W. E. G. Schenectady, N. Y., October 2, 1888. BIBLIOGRAPHY. The following is a list of books and papers containing information about Corea. Those of primary value to which the compiler of this work is specially indebted are marked with an asterisk (*) ; those to which slight obligation, if any, is acknowledged with a double asterisk ; and those which he has not consulted, with a dagger (f). See also under The Corean Language and Cartography, in the Appendix. * History of the Eastern Barbarians. " Book cxv. contains a sketch of the tribes and nations occupying the northeastern seaboard of China, with the territory now known as Manchuria and Corea." This extract from a History of the Later Han Dynasty (25-220 a.d.), by a Chinese scholar of the fifth century, has been translated into English by Mr. Alexander Wylie, and printed in the Revue de l'Extreme Orient, No. 1, 1882.

Du Halde and De Mailla, in French, and Ross, in English, have also given the substance of the Chinese writer's work, which also furnishes the basis of Japanese accounts of Corean history previous to the fourth century. f The Subjugation of Chaou-seen, by A. Wylie. (Atti del IV. Cong. int. degli Orient, ii., pp. 309-315, 1881.) This fragment is a translation of the 95th book of the History of the Former Han Dynasty of China. * Empire de la Chine et la Tartarie Chinoise, par P. du Halde. * The Kojiki and Nihongi, written in Japan during the eighth century, throws much light on the early history of Corea. * Wakan-San-sai Dzuye. Article on Cho-sen in this great Japanese Encyclopædia. f Tong-Kuk Tong-Kan (General View of the Eastern Kingdom), a native Corean history written in Chinese. * Zenrin Koku Hoki (Precious Jewels from a Neighboring Country), by Shiuho.

Japan, 1586. * Corea, its History, Manners, and Customs, by John Ross. 1 vol., pp. 404. Dlustrations and maps. Paisley, 1880. *The Chinese Reader's Manual, by W. Fred. Mayers. 1 vol., pp. 440. Shanghae, 1874. An invaluable epitome of Chinese history, biography, chronology, bibliography, and whatever is of interest to the student of Chinese literature. * K6-cho Rekidai Enkaku Zukai. Historical Periods and Changes of the Japanese Empire, with maps and notes, by Otsuki Toyo. BIBLIOGRAPHY. XX "San Koku Tsu-ran To-setsu. Mirror of the Three [Tributary] Kingdoms, Cho-sen, Riu kiu, and Yezo, by Rin Shihei, 1785. This work, with its maps, was translated into French by J. Klaproth, and published in Paris, 1832. 1 vol. 8vo, pp. 288, of which pp. 158 relate to Cho-sen. Digested also in Siebold's Archiv. ** Archiv zur Bescriebung von Japan, by Franz von Siebold.

This colossal work contains much matter in text and illustrations relating to Corea, and the digest of several Japanese books, in the part entitled Nachrichten uber Korai, Japan's Bezage mit der Koraischen Halbinsel und mit Schina. * * Corea und dessen Einfluss aus die Bevolkerung Japans. Zeit. f ur Ethnclogie, Zitzungbericht VIII. p. 78, 1876. P. Kempermann. ** O Dai Ichi Ran. This work, containing the annals of the emperors of Japan, is a bird's-eye view of the principal events in Japanese history, written in the style of an almanac, which Titsingh copied down from translations made by Japanese who spoke Dutch. Klaproth revised and corrected Titsingh's work, and published his own version in 1834. Paris and London, 8vo, pp. 460. This work contains many references to Corea and the relations of the two countries, transcribed from the older history. ** Tableaux Historiques de l'Asie, depuis la monarchie de Cyrus jusque nos jours, accompagnes de recherches historiques et ethnographiques, etc.

Par J. Klaproth, Paris, 1826. Avec un atlas in folio. This manual of the political geography of Asia is very useful, but not too accurate. f A Heap of Jewels in a Sea of Learning (Gei Kai Shu Jin ; Jap. pron.). A chapter from this Chinese book treats of Corea. f Cho-sen Hitsu Go-shin. A coUection of conversations with the pen, with a Corean who could not speak Japanese. By Ishikawa Rokuroku Sanjin, Yedo. * The Classical Poetry of the Japanese. By Basil Hall Chamberlain. London, 1880. ** An Outline History of Japanese Education, New York, 1876. This monograph, prepared for the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, reviews the educational influences of Corea upon Japan. The information given is, with other data, from Klaproth, utilized in Pickering's Chronological History of Plants, by Charles Pickering, M.D., Boston, 1879. * Japanese Chronological Tables.

By William Bramsen, Tokio, 1880. An invaluable essay on Japanese chronology, wliich was, like the Corean, based on the Chinese system. We have used this work of the lamented scholar (who died a few months after it was published) in rendering dates expressed in terms of the Chinese into those of the Gregorian or modern system. ** History ofthe Mongols. 3 vols. pp. 1827. London, 1876. By Henry Ho worth. This portly work is full of the fruits of research concerning the people led by Genghis Khan. It contains excellent maps of Asia, and of Mongolia, and Manchuria, illustrating the Mongol conquests. f Cho-sen Ki-che. (Memorandum upon Corean Affairs. ) The Chinese ambassador sent by the Ming emperor in 1450, gives in this little work an account of his journey, which throws light upon the political and geographical situation of Cho-sen and China at that time.

Quoted by M. Scherzer but not translated. BIBLIOGRAPHY. XXI * Nihon Guaishi. Military History of Japan, by Rai Sanyo. This is the Japanese standard history. It was published in 1827 in twenty-two volumes. It covers the period from the Taira and Minamoto families to that of the Tokugawa in the seventeenth century. The first part of this work was translated into English by Mr. Ernest Satow, and published in The Japan Mail at Yokohama, 1872-74. In the latter portion the invasion of Cho-sen, 1592-97, is outlined. * Cho-sen Seito Shimatsiiki. A work in five volumes, giving an account of the embassies, treaties, documents relating to the invasion of 1592-97, with an outline of the war, geographical notes, with nine maps by YaBinzaki Masanagi and Miura Katsuyoshi. ' Hlustrated History of the Invasion of Cho-sen.