Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/654

* KOKEA. 592 KOBE A. The vessels entering port numbered 4972 (985,309 tons), mostly Japanese. Seven of fUe ei{,'lit ports have direct communication with Japan. See heading Topography. Baxks. The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank has an office in Korea, and there are also branches of .Japanese banks. Russian financial interests are represented locally bj' the Russo- Korean Bank at Seoul. (oEHMiK.T. Korea is an absolute monarchy. Until January 7, 189'), it paid tribute to China, and its kinys always received investiture from the Chinese Emperors. The Government was based on that of China, and consisted of a grand council of three ministers, and six boards, each with its own president and staff of ofBcials, all or provinces into two — a northern and a southern — and from Kyeng-Keni, one of the remaining tliree, llic "metropolitan |)rovince,' with Han yaug, the capital, was separated and erected into a department called Han-yang I'u under a Gov- ernor called a P'anyun. Of the 339 prefec- tures 7 are placed under Pu-yan or 'city Gov- ernors' (pu = Chinese fu) and 4 of the treaty ports are under Kamni or 'superintendents of trade,' who rank with consuls. The following table gives the names of the 13 provinces, the names of the capitals, and the result of a cen- sus ( ?) taken in 1900 which will be cxjilained below under Population. The spelling of Ko- rean names is unsettled, and the eliief forms are given. Admi.sistrative Divisions of Korea 1 2 8 4 6 6 7 8 9 in II 12 13 Names of the 13 Provinces Kjeng-keui, or Kyflng-geui, or King-gi NonU Ch'yung-eiryeng, or Cli.vongH-'h.veng, or Chhuug-choug South Ch'.vung-cli'yeng, or Chyung-oh.veng North Chyeu-la, or ChQlla or ChoUa. or Tsiel-Ia South Chyen-la, or Chtllla Nortli Kyeug-syeng (or Syaiig), or K.Tong-sang, or KytlDg-sang.... South Kyeng-syeiig (or Syang). or KyoDg-saug Hwang-hai. "or Whaiig-liai (or*hilj South F'yeng (or Phyung, or P'ytiug) -an North P'yeng (or Phyoiig, or P'yilng) -an Kang-uen, or Kang-wiin (or Wiin) South Ham-Kyeiig. or Hani-Kyong, or Ham-gyung North Hain-Kyeng, or Ham-Kyoug, or Ham-gyiing Natiuual capital, Seoul, or Sye-oul,"or Soul, or Han-yang, or H Total Capitals Syu-uen. or Syu-won Ch'ung-ehyu Kong-chyu Chyen-chyu Koang-chyu Tai-ku Chin-chyu .•. Hai-chyu P'yeng- (or P h yo n g-) yang. or Ping-yang Tyeng-chyu Ch'yun-ch'.ven Ham-heung Kyeng-syeng au-eyeug Pu Population (?) 1900 669,798 275,882 422,601 386,132 437,660 690,602 483.816 361,907 390.299 393,973 276.736 437,019 285,028 196,898 6,608,351 appointed after examination. In 1895 the Gov- ernment was remodeled, the si. boards, the ex- aminations, and the privileges of the aristocracy were abolished, and a Grand Council of State was instituted, consisting of the ten members of the Cabinet and five councilors to discuss resolu- tions for the King to sign. The ten ministers are: a President or Prime Minister, and secre- taries for the Home, Foreign, Treasury, War, Education, .Justice, Agriculture, Trade and In- dustry, the Imperial Household, and Police de- partments. In 1897 the King declared bis covm- try an empire, gave it the name of Dai Han, took the title of Emperor, and inaugurated a new reign-period (called Kwang-mu) with 1897 as the first year. In 1901 the public revenue amounted to $4,- 521,509, derived chiefly from land tax, house tax. customs dues, the ginseng monopoly, and miscellaneous sources. ^lore than half was furnished by the land tax ($2,530,904). A debt of $1,375,000 contracted in 1S95 was paid off. A mint has been established and silver dollars (won or yen) are coined (based on a gold unit), besides 20-sen silver pieces, 5-sen nickels, 5 'cash' copper pieces, and l-'cash' pieces of brass. Japanese pajx'r currency amounting to .$1,250,- 000 is in circulation, and as the new coinage in circulation is inadequate, .Japanese coins are used. The weights and measures of Korea are the same as those of China. The army consi.sts of 17,000 men (all drilled, clothed, and equipped in foreign style), a l)odyguard of 1000 men, and 2000 police. There is no navy. Admixistr.tion. In 1890 the country was ' divided for administrative purposes into 13 prov- inces and 339 kun or prefectures. This was effected by dividing 5 of the largest of the 8 do Population. This had been variously esti- mated at from 8,000,000 to 10,500,000. In 1900 an official census was published showing a total of 5,008,351, as given .above. It appears, how- ever, that these figures merely represent the number of adults wlio are liable for taxes to the Imperial Government. The true number, there- fore, remains undetermined, and will never be accurate so long as it is associated with the tax- lists. In 1901 the foreign population was 21,- 783, of whom 10,142 were Japanese, 5000 Chi- nese, 269 United .States citizens, 114 British, 79 French, 42 CJermans, and 97 Russians. The chief cities are Seoul, the capital, Ping-yang, and Kai-seng. The nobility are free from military dut}'. They wear colored clotliing, and hats made of horsehair. The common classes wear either white or uncolored clothing, ilen marry under twenty, girls at sixteen. Korean families are large. The women live in seclusion. A Korean can have only one legal wife, but concubinage is permitted. Religion. Buddhism early entered Korea from China, and spread to .Japan, where it took firm root. For a thousand years it flourished in Korea, and was a pr]wer in the land. It is still found in a degraded form, its monks sunk in ignorance, and its influence on the people small. Until the dawn of the new ri'gime Buddhist monks were forbidden to enter the cities and not a single temple was allowed in the capital. The higher classes content themselves with ancestor- worship and the Confucian morality, but the popular religion is Shamanistic. characterized hy animal-worship, sorcery, and all manner of superstitious practices. Christianity entered Korea in 1775, through books sent by the Jesuit missionaries at Peking. In 1836 French mission-