Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/350

 330 Miscellanea.

see stones, men do not see dust (in the air), dogs do not see snow, tigers do not see paper."

People are born according to the formation of the hills on which their ancestors' graves are situated. A craggy geomantic forma- tion brings forth warriors — a smooth, well-rounded formation brings forth scholars — -a pointed formation brings forth writers — an opposing formation brings forth robbers— jade-peaks bring forth beautiful women. Of course all of this must be viewed and tested by a geomancer (chi-kwan), to know what forms are destined to appear.

Mr. Sin-Ki-Sun, the present prime minister of Korea, remarked recently that Korea could never be independent, because she had so many mountains. " Mountains," said he, " depending as they do on each other, denote dependence " Mountains are said to have their pot of silver or pot of gold concealed, and sacrifice is offered diligently to obtain a knowledge of their where- abouts. The mountain spirit, in answer to prayer and sacrifice, makes known in a dream the place where the pot is buried. This may be explained, however, by the fact that during the invasion of the Japanese, three hundred years ago, much money was buried to prevent its being carried off by the invaders, and this being discovered from time to time, may have given rise to the superstition that each hill has its treasury of gold and silver.

I have never been able to fully understand just what the Korean means by currents, or veins of influence, that he invari- ably connects with the mountains. On the proper circulation of these influences all prosperity depends. April 27th, 1899, I arrived in a town some 117 miles from Wonsan and 60 miles from Seoul. I saw in the neighbourhood many huge flat stones placed on three smaller ones that were standing on edge. I crossed the fields to one of these, and found it large enough to dance a quadrille on. I had no measuring line, but stepping it, found the stone to be in the neighbourhood of 18 feet square by 2 feet thick. It was raised from the ground some 3 feet, and the propping stones underneath occupied a space of some 8 feet square. They are called ^6'/-/;;-/6'/= propped up stone. On inquiry as to their meaning, I was told that the Japanese, three hundred years ago, discovered that this district in Korea had produced many noted warriors and generals, due of course to the current influence of the mountains. Their object now was to cut off