History (§ 2). Results (§ 3).
I. The Land and People: Korea comprises the peninsula lying between Japan and Chinese Asia. The name by which the country was known to its inhabitants when first opened by treaty to foreign entrance was Cho-sen, " Morning-calm," later changed to Tai-han. The term Korea comes from Korai, Korye, or Koryu, the name of the strongest of three kingdoms which existed in the country in the tenth century. From the fact that foreigners were until toward the end of the nineteenth century not allowed to enter or reside in the land, Korea became poetically known as the " Hermit Nation." The peninsula runs approximately north and south, having the Sea of Japan on the east, the Strait of Korea on the south, the Yellow Sea on the west, while Russian and Chinese territory bound it on the north. If the dictionary definition of an island be
Korea
THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
accepted, Korea would more probably be termed an
island, for the small lake situated on the slopes of
" the ever white mountain " in the
i. Extent, north is the source of two rivers, the Climate, Tumen, which empties into the Sea of
Resources. Japan, and the Yaloo which finds its way into the Yellow Sea, the northern boundary being therefore entirely of water, making of Korea a body of land entirely surrounded by water. The length of the country from north to south is about 700 miles, and it has an area variously estimated as between 80,000 and 92,000 square miles, approximately that of the States of New York and Pennsylvania combined, with a population estimated at about twelve millions. A chain of mountains running from north to south divides, when about three-fourths of the length of the peninsula has been traversed, into two ranges which run along the whole eastern coast and are the sources of many rapid, turbulent streams pouring into the Sea of Japan, and of several less rapid but larger rivers which, flowing placidly through the plains to the west coast, make of Korea a fertile country, producing all kinds of cereals, though rice is the staple product and the main article of diet. The climate is not unlike that of the Eastern States; for although the capital, Seoul, is as far south as Richmond, Va., the cold ocean current that flows down between Japan and Korea very much modifies the climate of the peninsula. With the exception of some six weeks of rain, during what is commonly known as the rainy season, the climate is, in the main, dry and healthful, warm in summer, and quite cold in winter, with of course the varying degrees that come from an extreme length north to south of about 1,000 miles. The mineral deposits in Korea are large and varied, silver, tin, lead and copper being found in paying quantities, and still larger deposits of gold and coal have been found. It is not, however, the El Dorado that some have claimed it to be. The people are inferior neither mentally nor physically to other Orientals. A people which has preserved its ancient civilization and so long succeeded in maintaining itself as a hermit nation might be expected to show peculiar and excellent qualities, and these have appeared and have been emphasized especially among the converts to Christianity.
Korea is a limited monarchy of the paternal type, with a written constitution limiting the power of the monarch and in a manner guiding the administration of the government. During a considerable period Korea was tributary to China, but this position as a tribute-paying country in no way affected its independence in internal government. 2. Govern- The United States recognized this in-
ment and dependence when it made its treaty
Recent with Korea in 1882. The question of
History, independence was, however, constantly
arising, and was a matter of no little
controversy until the close of the China-Japan war,
when, by the treaty of peace, the independence of
Korea became a recognized fact. Japan at this
time gained the ascendency in the little peninsula;
but she failed to use her power wisely and soon
lost all influence, and Russian predominance be-
came a fact. At the opening of the Japan- Russian war, a treaty of alliance between Japan and Korea was signed, by which, in payment for the privilege of being permitted freely to transport her troops across Korean territory, Japan guaranteed in perpetuity to maintain the independence of Korea, and the dignity of the reigning family. However, immediately after the close of this war after the treaty of Portsmouth, Japan assumed an entirely different attitude toward Korea, and, taking the place of a conqueror rather than an ally, has attempted to maintain this position ever since. A forced treaty of protection was nominally passed by the cabinet and put into effect, since the foreign powers by their withdrawal of the legations acknowledged their willingness to yield to Japan's request. The emperor protested against this, and having in 1907 sent an embassy to The Hague in order to bring the matter to the attention of the civilized powers, Japan compelled the abdication of the emperor, had his eldest son put on the throne, and his youngest son proclaimed crown prince. At the present time, while there is nominally an emperor in Korea, the government is administered by a Japanese "resident" at Seoul, with a large force of Japanese constabulary and soldiery, and " underresidents " at a number of prominent points, though Japan still nominally maintains that Korea is independent.
II. Missions: The missionaries on their first arrival declared the people irreligious because they found a scarcity of temples and shrines, and even such temples as they had were not crowded by devotees as in some neighboring lands. They soon found that the people would announce that those things were good enough for women and children, but that the educated of the land seemed to have no faith in any one of their ancient religions, Shamanism, Buddhism, or Confucianism. Shamanism had the strongest hold, but even this was losing its grip upon the people. The natural conclusion that they were irreligious has been revised upon a closet' acquaintance. Their religious instincts, coupled with their own power of reasoning, have led the people to reject successively, in large measure, all their ancient faiths, and as a result there is presented before the world a people ready and waiting for the truth. Given such a people, Christianity might be expected speedily to take root and flourish, and such has been the history of the Christian faith.
Roman Catholicism early reached Korea. Although at the time of the Hideyoshi invasion, 1592- 1597, Roman Catholic Christians and some priests followed in the wake of the Japanese army, at this time there appears no trace of any definite results, or in fact of any real attempt at the propagation of Christianity. In 1777, however, the attention of a young Korean was drawn toward some Roman Catholic books, and, securing a position in the embassy to China, he attempted to find out more about the faith, and returning in 1782 to the capital, was soon actively engaged in propagating the new religion. The vital truths as presented by these Christians soon took hold upon the Korean people, and the history of early Roman Catholicism