Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/395

 ROTAL FAMILY. 365 lower officials. " The big fish eat the little fish, the little fish eat shrimps, and the shrimps eat mud."' KoYAL Family. Since the Tang dynasty overwhelmed Corea, it has had only glimpses of absolute self-government ; but, at the same time, it has had only brief intervals when it had not virtual self- government. Its vassalage to the Manchu government, secured at a sacrifice of a few years' dispeace and slaughter, and of some further years of somewhat severe taxation, has mainly been virtually nominal. For, from pity or policy, at one period after another, the taxes were lightened, till the amount is now one which is, on account of the merchandise accompanying it, more profitable for the Coreans to pay than not to pay. In treating of the government of the country, therefore, it is unnecessary to refer to its nominal dependance upon China, further than to say that a yearly or half-yearly tribute is sent in to Peking, accompanied by a host of merchants, who bring back profits much greater than the amount of the tribute. The Chinese emperor has also to acknowledge the heir to the throne, ere he can be regarded as such ; though the choice of the king is always sanctioned. The Chinese emperor also invests the new king with his title, sending a special ambassador for the purpose. The Coreans, however, are masters of the situation ; for it is the Corean government, not the Chinese, which prohibits intercourse between the two peoples, and which demands and receives any of its subjects known to be hiding on Chinese soil ; while absolutely forbidding access of Chinese subjects to its shores on pain of instant death. The Corean king is perhaps the most absolute in the world, — at all events among peoples who are wholly or semi-civilised ; and however cruel the king, revolution has been impossible, for Chinese resources are pledged to support him. But like all kings who grind the bulk of their subjects to the dust, he is considerably at the mercy of his hereditaiy nobility, who, though not so numerous as in ancient times, nor possessing so much of