i 1 Japan and Korea Questions and Answers Mission Circles and Bands. PRICE, FIVE CENTS. PHILADELPHIA : WOMAN’S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, No. 1834 Chbstnpt Stbkkt. Ifi97. Japan and Korea Questions and Answers FOR Mission Circles and Bands. OHft.. PHILADELPHIA : WOMAN’S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, No. 1334 Chestnut Stbeet. 1897. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Columbia University Libraries https://archive.org/details/japankoreaOOunse JAPAN 1. Give a general description of Japan. The Empire of Japan lies off the eastern shore of Asia. It is composed of four large islands and many small ones, which are grouped together in tlie sliaije of a new moon. 2. How do travelers go to Japan ? Eitherhy sailingfrom New York to England, from there across Europe, through the Suez Canal, and around the south of Asia ; or hy railroad to San Francisco or Vancouver, and thence across the Pacific Ocean directly to Yokohama. 3. What is the difference in time between New York and Japan? The sun rises in Japan fourteen hours before it rises in New York. 4. What was the old Japanese belief about the origin of their country ? That Japan was made by the gods and was for a long time their residence ; a common name for the country among the people is the “Land of the Gods.” They believed also that the emperor was descended from the gods. 4 5. What is the emperor called? By foreigners the emperor is usually called the Mikado, hut the Japanese generally speak of him as the Tenshimma, which means the Son of Heaven. Two or three hundred years ago an officer bearing the title of Shogun usurped the chief authority, and from that time until the year 18G8 the Shoguns were the real rulers of the country, although the Mikado was the nominal head. 6. llow was the Mikado restored to power? For some time before the year 1808 many of the Daimiyos or feudal lords had wished to dethrone the Shogun or Taikun as foreigners used to call him (often misspelt Tycoon), and to restore the Mikado to power. The feeling against foreigners was very strong, and as the Shogun had admitted them into the country his enemies had a good excuse for carrying out their plans ; accordingly an army was raised, several battles were fought, and the Mikado was restored to his rights. He then removed from Kij'oto to Yedo, which had been the resi- dence of the Shdgun, and the name of Yedo was changed to Tokyo, meaning Eastern Capi- tal. 7. Is the government now opposed to for- eigners? Before 1868 the party of the Mikado was 5 strongly opposed to foreigners ; but bis advisers were wise enough to change their policy, be- coming progressive and favorable to foreign institutions. 8 . Wliat was the result? Wonderful progress was made in introducing Western methods of government and educa- tion. Christianity shared in the favors shown to everything foreign, and spread with great rapidity. 9. Do the people sympathize with the gov- ernment ? About 1888, a reaction took place among the people, many of whom disapproved the policy of the government, and disliked all foreign influence. Since the war with China, made successful by foreign metiiods, the opposition seems to be gradually withdrawn and the nation is no longer in hostile attitude. 10. What advances have been made by the government since the war? B 3 " the revision of the treaty with England, Japan is recognized as a civilized people, and is placed upon an equal footing with other nations. The adoption of the Civil Code (189G) also is an evidence of advancement, giving Japan jurisdiction over all foreign residents in the Empire, abolishing the system of foreign courts. 6 11. Is travel restricted? Tliose wishing to travel must first obtain passports from the Japanese government througli the foreign consulates. These restric- tions are a hindrance to missionaiy work, and it is hoped the revision of tlie treaties will have made this unnecessary. 12. What is the government? Since February, 1889, when the National Constitution was adopted, it is a Constitutional Monarchy with a Diet, consisting of a House of Peers and a House of Representatives, which met for the first time November 29, 1890. 13. What do the Japanese call their country? Niphon or Nippon, which means Source of Light, and the land is often called the “Land of the Morning,” or the “Land of the Rising Sun.” 14. What is the climate ? It is damp and somewhat debilitating to foreigners. As Japan is surrounded by the ocean, the summer heat is tempered, while the gulf stream washing the eastern shore miti- gates the severity of the winter. 15. What of the scenery in .Japan ? The damp atmosphere makes the ground fertile and the foliage luxuriant. It is a land of 7 fruit and flowers, and the eye of the traveler is especially struck by the wonderful beauty of the luountaius and valleys. 16. What is the most celebrated mountain in Japan ? Fujisan or Fuji no Yama. It is an extinct volcano, a solitary peak rising more than 12,000 feet above the level of the sea, its sum- mit covered with snow during most of the year. The Japanese are very proud of Mount Fuji, and constantly paint it upon fans, porce- lain and lacquer-ware. In the summer time, when the snow is gone, hands of pilgrims, dressed in white, each with a staff in his hand and a little hell tinkling from his girdle, may he seen journeying to the top of the mountain to worship. 17. What is the population of Japan? In 1896 over 40,000,000 people. Its three great cities are Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. 18. Describe the people. They are generally small, with black hair and eyes, the latter slanting down towards the nose. They are kindly, impressible, gentle and contented, hut lack many of the higher moral virtues. 19. In what sort of houses do they live? Most of their houses are only one story high. 8 The better ones liave tile roofs ; others are cov- ered with little shingles, while in the country many of the houses are thatched. They have light, ])aper-covered doors that slide backward and forward on grooved sills. 20. How are the houses furnished? The floors are covered with mats about two inches thick, each mat six feet long by three feet wide, and all the rooms in the houses are made to hold a certain number of mats ; so that one often hears people talking a.'bowX four -mat, or eight-mat or twenty-mat rooms. Usually there are some pictures hanging on the wall, or sentences written in Chinese ; not framed like ours, but on rollers like our maps. There is scarcely any furniture ; no chairs, for the peo- ple sit on the mats with iheir feet doubled up under them ; no bedsteads, for every night they spread comfortables on the mats to sleep on ; no stoves, but instead, little fire-boxes of metal or porcelain or wood lined with copper, in which they burn charcoal. 21. What food do the Japanese eat? They may almost be said to live upon rice, fish and tea. They have also sweet potatoes and other vegetables ; of fruits they have oranges, figs, grapes, pears, and persimmons as large as apples. They eat eggs, and also chickens and other birds ; some of them are 9 beginning to eat beef and mutton. Their candy shops always have for their sign a great white ball covered with points — an imitation of one of their commonest kinds of candy. 22. How do they eat? With chopsticks as the Chinese do. These are generally made of wood, rather longer than a lead pencil and about half as thick. Both sticks are held in one hand between diiferent fingers, and the Japanese use them very skill- fully. They have also iron chopsticks to han- dle the charcoal in their fire-boxes, and the rag pickers go about the streets with a bag in one hand and a pair of chopsticks three feet long in the other. 23. How do the .Japanese dress? Men, women and children all wear a sort of gown cut straight and very narrow, and con- fined by a girdle around the waist ; besides this the men sometimes put on a kind of wide flow- ing trousers. On their feet all wear a sort of low sock made of white or dark blue cotton goods, and shaped like mittens with a finger for the big toe. When the Japanese go out of doors they generally put on wooden shoes, which are kept on by a thong that passes be- tween the big toe and the others. Among some of the higher class and at the court, European dress has been adopted. 10 24. How do tliey wear tlieir hair? Tlie men now wear their hair as we do, hut some of the women still adhere to the old elab- orate Japanese fashion, employing a hair dresser who goes from house to house. These have their hair dressed only once or twice a week, and to keep it in order they sleep with a little wooden pillow about six inches long and two inches wide under their necks. 25. How do the Japanese amuse themselves? They are very fond of going on excursions and picnics, and all Japanese delight in their native music. A game called “Go,” which is not unlike chess, is a great favorite among grown people. The children have some of the games familiar to American children, but the great game among them is kite-flying. In the city of Tokyo one can sometimes count two thousand kites flying at once. The Japanese kites are not flat like ours, but bowed, and each one has a couple of strings stretched across it ; when the wind blows- the strings hum, and sometimes the air sounds as if it was full of giant bumble bees. 26. What are the principal industries of the Japanese? The industries peculiar to Japan are silk and tea culture and the manufacture of the bronze, 11 lacquer and porcelain wares which have hc- come famous in Europe and America. 27. What of the Japanese language ? In Japan there are many different styles in hoththe written and the spoken language, and these are so well defined that to confuse them either in writing or talking is considered a mark of great ignorance The forms to he used in addressing persons higher in rank are very un- like those which are used when speaking to equals, and for inferiors still another form is considered necessary. 28. What is the religion of the Japanese? Shintoism was the early faith of the country ; Confucianism also has had many followers ; hut the first of these is a political principle rather than a religion, and the second is more strictly a system of philosophy. Buddhism is the pre- vailing religion of Japan. 29. What is Buddhism ? The worship of Buddha, taught hy a man named Gautama, who lived about 500 years before Christ. 30. What does Buddhism teach ? Buddhism teaches that the world and all things in it came into being without a creator ; that the soul at death passes into the body of some new^-born human being, or some animal, ficcording to the amount of merit made while 13 living ; that it may he thus born thousands of times ; that the thing most to he desired is to make so much merit that the soul will at last go where Buddha has himself gone, into “Nepon,” which is a kind of eternal sleep. 31. Are there any temples in Japan? There are three sorts of temples. First : The Shinto temples, very simple structures, with little in them excepting a large mirror. Sec- ond : The shrines erected in honor of celebrated persons. These are the most beautiful build- ings in Japan ; they are highly ornamented with carving and paintings and magnificent lacquer-work. Tliird : The Buddhist temples, which are filled with idols, and where most of tlie people worship. 33. What progress have the Japanese made under foreign influence ? They have now men-of-war, mail steamers, railways, horse cars and all the inventions that mark the latest civilization ; there are telegraph lines running all over the country, and a postal system nearly or quite as good as our own ; they have also newspapers, a university, a college to train engineers, schools of medicine, law and agriculture ; an excellent common school sys- tem, also preparatory schools, in which are taught the various branches of study pursued by boys and girls in America. 13 MISSIONS. 33. How long ago was Christianity intro- duced into Japan ? Christianity was first introduced hy the Por- tuguese who sent the Jesuits under Xavier in 1549 ; hut they attempted to interfere with the government and were expelled from the country. On account of this the Japanese came to hate and fear Christianity, and passed laws forbidding any one to profess it on pain of death. 34. When were Protestant missionaries first sent to Japan ? Soon after Japan was open to foreigners, Protestant missionaries were sent to the country, but on account of the old hatred of the name of Christianity very little could be done for a number of years. 35. When did the Presbyterian Church begin work in Japan ? In 1859, when Dr. Hepburn went there as a medical missionary, to prepare the way for the preaching of the gospel. 36. What is the later history of Presbyterian missions in Japan ? After missionaries had been laboring in Japan for many years from our own Church, from the 14 Reformed (Dutch) Church and the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, it was de- cided to unite and form in Japan one Presbyte- rian Church. Within a few years the Presby- terian Church (Soutli), the Reformed (German) Church, and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, have joined those above named, mak- ing six organizations in all, to form the “ United Church of Christ in Japan,” a self-governing Japanese Church. In 1890 the word ” United ” was dropped from the name. 37. How large is this ‘‘ Church of Christ ? ” In 1896 there were reported 74 churches with a membership of 11,000. 38. Where are the mission stations of our own Presbyterian Board? In T 5 k 3 r 5 , the capital ; in Yokohama, a few miles south of Tokyo ; and the Hokkaido Sta- tion in the northern island of Yezo ; in Kana- zawa, on the west coast ; Osaka, a seaport on the main island ; Hiroshima, on the Inland Sea ; Kyoto, near Osaka ; Yamaguchi, on the western coast, and Fukui. 39. What schools for boys and young men are connected with the Presbyterian Board? The Meiji Gakuiu at Tokjm is an important institution, comprising a preparatory school, college, and theological seminary. The course 15 of instruction is thorough, and to this institu- tion we look for a native Christian ministry, well educated in English branches. There is also a boys’ school at Kanazawa, called Ei Wa Gakko. 40. What schools for girls and young women are under the care of the Presbyterian Board ? At T5kyo there is the Joshi-Gakn-In (formed by the union of Graham Seminary and the Bancho School), in which there are three de- partments, preparatory, intermediate and ad- vanced. There is a school at Dai Machi, T5kyo, established by a Japanese Christian gentleman, in which our missionaries teach, and there are schools carried on by Japanese at other stations in which our missionaries have the same oppor- tunity. There are also girls’ schools under the care of our mission at Kanazawa, Osaka, and Sapporo. A Bible Institute for the training of women in Christian work is carried on with great promise in Tokyo, and there are day-schools for hoys and girls at the different stations. 41. What literary work has been done by missionaries ? The Bible has been fully translated and largely circulated ; a Japanese and English dic- tionary has been prepared by Dr. Hepburn, and published ; tracts and larger religious hooks IG have been written or translated b}" members of the mission ; and two religious papers are pub- lished, one partly in English, the other entirely in Japanese. 42. Are the laws against Christianity still in force ? By the Constitution of 1889, toleration is secured to all religions. 43. What Protestant Christians are working there besides those included in the “Church of Christ? ” Baptists, Congregationalists, Methodists, Friends and the Episcopalians of England and America. 44. What is the estimated number of Chris- tians ? About 39,000 (1896). 45. Why does Japan especially need the gos- pel of Christ ? The people are rapidly gaining all that mere civilization can give them, and they are drifting away from their old false faiths. The danger is that they will drift into atheism, and the Church in America should, with all the earnest- ness and speed possible, offer to them the only faith Which can make their country truly civil- ized and blessed. 17 flow THEY SAY IT IN JAPAN. The Japanese use Chinese characters largely in writing ; besides these they have letters of their own, each of which represents a syllable. In writing the Japanese with English letters the consonants have the same sound as in English ; hut the vowels have the Italian sound, and there are no accents. a has the . sound of a in e “ “ “ ey in prey. i “ “ “ i in machine. 0 “ “ “ 0 in no, so. u “ “ “ 00 in moon. ai “ “ “ eye. Geo graphical Names. Pronunciation. Fukui. Foo-koo-e. Hakodate. Ha-ko-dah-ta. Hiroshima. He-ro-she-mah. Kanazawa. Kan-ah-zaio-wah. Kiushu. Kiu-shiu. Kobe. Ko-ha. Kyoto. Kee-o-to. Nagasaki. Nah-gah-sa-kee Osaka. 0 -sah-kah. 18 Otaru. Sapporo. Takata. Tokyo. Toyama. Tsnkiji. Yamaguclii. Yeso (or Hokkaido). Y okoliama. Pronunciation. 0-tah-TU. 8ap-po-ro. Tak-kah-tuli. To-kee-o. To-yah-mah. Tskee-jee. Yah-mah-goo-eJiee. Te-so or Ilok-kai-do . Yo-ko-liah-mali. Coins and their Value. Yen. Silver dollar. Sen. A cent. Rin The tenth of a cent. Oo-rin. A half cent. Gold and paper money are also in use. Weights and Measures. Kin. li lbs. To. About a quarter of a bushel. Sun. One inch. Shaku. One foot. Tsubo. Six feet square. A house is built for a certain amount per tsubo. Distances. i^^(Ree). Equals two and one-half English miles. 19 Native Words Fouad in Missionary Literature. Pronunciation. Gho (Chinese). Street. Daimio. Dai-mee-o. Feudal Lord. Daslii. Dali-slie. Festival car. DosMslia. Do-sliee-shali. The Congrega- tional College. Fuji yama. Poo-jee-yah-mah. The highest mt. Futon. Foo-ton. Quilted bedspi’ead. Gakko. School. Gaku-in. School or college. Gekkin. Organ. Geta. Ga-tah. A clog or -wooden shoe. Hai. Hah-ee. Yes. Haori. Hah-o-ree. Outer garment. Hibaclii. He-hah-chee. Firebox, or brazier. Hirakana. He-rah-kah-nah. Japanese letters. In. A hall. Itchi kyo kwai. Union church. Jesu kyo or Yasu-kyo. “Jesus doctrine,” Christianity. Jin. Man. Jinrikiska. Jin-reke-shah, Two - wheeled car- riage drawn by men. Jizo. Je-zo. A heathen god. Kago. Kah-go. Bamboo basket sus- pended from a pole and carried by two men. 20 Kanji. Pronunciation. Kan-jee. Superintendent. Kiaro. Ke-ar-o. Hand stove carried in the sleeve. Kimono. Ke-ino-no. Garment or robe. Kiristo Kyokwai. Ke-risto-keo-kwai. Church of Ko. Christ, also Pres- byterian church. Child. Koelio Ko-cho. Principal of a Koto. school. Harp. Kurima. Ku-ree-ma. Public conveyance. Kwaido. Church building. Kwan. High official. Kwazoku. Kwah-zok. A nobleman. Kyo. Kee-o. Teaching, doctrine. Machi. Street. '‘Mata Kimasu.” Mah-tah-Ke-mas. “I will Matsuri. Ma-tsoo-re. come again.” Religious festival. Mia. Me-ah. Shinto temple. Mikado. Me-kah-do. Emperor. Moclii. Mo-chee. Rice cake. Obi. Obe. Sash or girdle. Okkasan. Ok-kah-san. Mamma, or mother. Okusama. Okoo-sah-mah. A lady. JRiki. Power. Bojin. Aged person. Samisen. Sah-mee-sen. Common guitar. 21 Sampan. San. Seii-sa. Pronun ciatiou. Boat. Mr., Mrs. or Miss (put after the name). Teacher. Wheeled vehicle. She-kah-tah-ga-nai. “ It is inevitable.” Shiki. Kerchief. Shimhokwai. Shim-bok-kwai. A social gath- erino;. Sensei. Ska. “ Shikataganai.” Shimbun. Shin kyo. Shogun. Shoji. Newspaper. New doctrine, also Protestantism. Shogoon. Formerly the high- est official of Ja- pan, Sho-jee. Paper partitions, or sliding doors. Sobetsukuwai. So-ba-tsu-kwai. A farewell meeting. Counting. Calisthenics. Mats 3x6 ft. in size Soroban. Taiso. Tatami. Tah-tah-me. 7’ens/i.*Sffw?,ff.Ten-she-sah-mah. Ter a. Torii. Ta-rah. Tore-ee, ‘Son of heaven.” Buddhist temple. Gateway. 23 Salutations. Pronunciation. “ Ohayo.” 0-hai-yo. “ Good morning,” to 8 or 9 o’clock. "Kon nicliiwdj.” Kon-ne-clie-wali. ‘‘This day,” from 9 to sunset. “ Konhan.” ‘‘This night,” or after sunset. “ Sayonara.” Sah-yon-ah-rah. ‘‘Good night,” or ‘‘Farewell, if it must be so.” The .Japanese bow in meeting or parting from each other, hut they are learning to imi- tate foreign customs and shake hands with for- eigners. St. .John, 3d chapter, 16th verse (in English letters) ; ‘‘ Sore Kami wa sono umitartiaeru hitorigo wo tamau hodo ni yo no hito wo aisMtamaeri, ko wa subete knre wo sliimzuru mono ni horoburn koto naku shite kagirinaki inochi wo ukeshimen ga tame nari." KOREA 1. Where is Korea ? Korea is a peninsula of Asia, west of Japan, and Ij'ing between the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japau. 2 . Describe the country. A chain of mountains extends through its whole length. Three provinces lie east of the mountains, and five west. The western side is more fertile and attractive than the eastern, and is watered by more rivers. 8. What is the area of the country ? Korea is as large as the combined areas of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ver- mont, Connecticut and Rhode Island, together with New Jersey and Maryland. 4. What is the population ? It is estimated at about 13,000,000. 5. What is the climate ? The winters of the north are very severe ; further south we find all the varieties that are met with between New England and Virginia. 6. What are the products of the land ? Corn, millet, wheat, rye, rice, barley and 24 beaus, upon which the people depend for food ; hemp, cotton, tobacco and ginger ; the pine, palm and a variety of fruits of fine quality. The mulberry and scrub-oak are cultivated as food for silk worms. 7. Tell something of the history of Korea. The ancestors of the modern Koreans were from Manchuria, and after wresting tlve penin- sula from the Chinese held it for several cen- turies. About the tenth century the thirty -two monarchies of the countiy were united in one dynasty, under the government of Wang. In the fourteenth century this line was overthrown by Ni Taijo, who was made king. The same dynasty still continues, though not in the di- rect line of descent. 8. What is the condition of the people? There is little education, though some schools are maintained by the government. Most of the people are very poor, and many of their houses are of mud, thatched with straw. The rich dress in silk and the poor in cotton. They have manj^ holidays and public merry-makings. Women are considered as inferior, but are not treated with such harshness as in some coun- tries. 9. AVhat is the religion of Korea? In the early ages the religion consisted in a superstitious devil-worship. Buddhism was in- 25 troduced in the fourth century, and Confucian- ism later. Taoism also exists in Korea, hut without much influence. Ancestral worship is an interesting feature of Korean religion. Tab- lets are erected with the names and virtues of ancestors, and sometimes handsome temples are built to their memory. Food is offered to the departed spirit, and prayers and wailings are part of the worship. 10. What is the state of religion among the people to-day ? Buddhism has lost much of its control over the people ; Confucianism is not much more than a system of morals ; and their superstitious devil-worship, or the “ natural religion,” that finds a god in everything, has no longer much sway over the people ; so that the whole nation may almost be said to have no religion. 11. What does this show ? It shows that God, bj^ breaking dowur the superstitions of the people, is preparing the way for the Gospel. 12. What was the first missionary work in Korea ? Roman Catholic missionaries entered the country at several times and gained many con- verts. The suspicions of the government and the native priesthood were aroused in each case, and the missionaries were driven away. 26 while their followers were obliged to flee, to recant, or to suffer horrible tortures. 13. When was the first treaty made with foreign governments ? After unsuccessful efforts of both France and America, .lapan succeeded in making a treaty with Korea in 1876, and, six years later, a satis- factory treaty was made with America. 14. Who was one of the first Protestant con- verts among the Koreans ? Rijutei, a Korean, was sent to represent his government in Japan. Soon after reaching the country some Cliristian books fell into his hands. lie read them with eager interest and was introduced to one of the American mis- sionaries, from whom he received instruction. He accepted Christianity and was baptized. 15. What was the result of Rijutei’s conver- sion ? lie immediately began to prepare a Bible which his countrymen could read, by introduc- ing certain marks among the Chinese charac- ters. He begged that missionaries might be sent to Korea, and Dr. H. N. Allen, then liv- ing in China, went in 1884. 16. How was Dr. Allen received ? The American Minister appointed him phvsi- cian to the legation, which insured his safety. 27 Soon after his arrival a number of Koreans were wounded in a political outbreak, among them a nephew of the king. He and several others recovered from their wounds under Dr. Allen’s care, and his skill gained him the favor of the king and his court. 17. What has been the most promineirt form of missionary work in Korea ? The medical work. The Government hos- pital at Seoul, the capital, is under the care of one of the missionaries, and a woman medical missionary has large opportunity for work among women. There is also a dispensary at Fusan. 18. What success has attended evangelistic work in Korea ? The success with which God has blessed evangelistic work in Korea is wonderful, and the progress has been greater than in any other country since apostolic times. 19. What facts show that this is so ? Dr. Allen reached Korea in the fall of 1884, and the first ordained missionary in the spring of 1885 ; the first convert was baptized in July, 1886 ; the first church organized (Presbyterian) in the fall of 1887, and before the close of 1888, the baptized converts of the two missions, Meth- odist and Presbyterian, numbered over 100. 38 30. Wliat is the condition of the work now ? The Presbyterian churcli has now nearly 300 communicants beside a number under pro- bation and there are little companies of Chris- tians and inquirers in many towns and through the country regions, 31. In what way has this work been carried on ? Periodical trips have been taken through the country for the sale and distribution of books, the preaching of the gospel and baptism of converts. Sub-stations have been established, colporteurs have been employed to visit regu- larly certain districts ; and a theological class has been carried on for some years. Boys’ and girls’ schools have also been established. 33. How is the work carried on among the women ? They are visited in their homes, and among the middle-class women a very good work has been begun. Services for women are carried on by the women members of the mission, and on Sunday these meetings have become so large that three successive meetings have to be held. During the week also various classes for women are held both in native homes and at the missionaries’ houses. 23. What stations are occupied by our mis- sionaries ? 29 Seoul, the capital, near the western coast ; Fusan, on the southeast coast ; Gensan, on the northeast coast, and Pyeng Yang, in the north- west. 24. What other Protestant churches are work- ing here ? American Methodists, Southern and Aus- tralian Presbyterians and the Church of Eng- land. 25. Is the outlook hopeful ? The government has recognized the effi- ciency of the medical work, and is favorable to the missionaries. After the confusion incident to the Chinese and Japanese war, which re- sulted in a partial protectorate of Japan over Korea, has quieted, wide doors will he open for missionary work and influence. HOW THEY SAY IT IN KOREA. The language of Korea is similar in construc- tion to the Japanese. Many of the words have been imported from China, hut neither Japan- ese nor Chinese is understood when spoken, although Chinese is read by all scholars. With the exception of a few slight differences in dialect, the language of Seoul can he under- stood all over the kingdom. The written char- acters are read from the top down, and from right to left. 30 Geographical Names. Pyeng Yang. Eui Ju. Pusan. Gensan. Korea. Chemulpo. Pronunciation. Ghee-mul-'po. We-Jew. Foo-san. Ghen-snn. Ko-ree-ali. Peng Yang. ^ Seoul (or Kyung-gi-do.) So-oul. Coins and their Value, Cash— a, small copper coin is the only money. Large numbers of these are carried by a cord passed through a hole in the centre. 1 pvri is 5 cash. 400 cas7i are equal to a silver dollar. Weights, Korean weights are the same as Chinese. A Keun or Catty is equal to Ij pounds. A Nyaiuj or Onnus is equal to of a keun. A Ton is equal to of a nyang or onnus. Measures. The measures used in the city difl'er from those used in the country. Land is measured by the quantity of grain used to sow it, or the time taken to plough it. Grain is measured by so many henp or hand- fuls to make a sym or bag. 31 Distances. CM — equals one inch. C'/iu— equals one foot. A Li is really measured by time— 10 U means an hour’s travel bj^ coolies on the plains ; the distance is less on the mountains because the coolies travel more slowly. Native Words Found in Missionary Literature. Ahagie. Father. Ahmounie. Mother. An-paiig. Women’s apartments. Chinas. Outside silk garment. Chogories. A little jacket or waist. Ilapmun or Ingum. King. Karnsah. High official, governor. Kilchimg. Guest house. Mee Kook sarum. Americans. ’ Pang 8uk. Custom. Qungas. Government examinations. San. Mountain. Sarang pang. General reception room. Tai. Great. Tai In, Great man, foreigner. Wae Yamen. Foreign office. Yang han. Gentleman. Yangeen. European. Yoe. Guilt. Yong num. Official residence. Ytm. Kite. aa St. John, 3d chap., 16th characters) : H o| d? HI ■p" ■=1- o o •d; 9 ve?’S6 (in Korean ol- 4- a o| ^il O . Ah 1 6 zi of. QUESTION booh series AFRICA. CHINA. CHINESE IN AMERICA. INDIA. JAPAN AND KOREA. MEXICO. PERSIA. SIAM AND LAOS. SOUTH AMERICA. SYRIA. Five Cents Each. Fifty Cents Per Set. Foreign TWissionarjf G^'^eobistn. Two Cents Each. Fifteen Cents per D02. “ Over Sea and Land.” PUBLISHED MONTHLY. Single Copies, postpaid 35 Cents. Five Copies, or more (addressed to one person), each. . 26 Cents.