Page:The passing of Korea.djvu/365

 CHAPTER XX NTIL recent years the currency of Korea was only the unwieldy cash, and this had much to do in preserving the immemorial custom of barter. Even to-day this form of trade has by no means ceased, and many Koreans still look upon rice or cotton or linen as legal tender. We have already explained that in the country there are stated places where periodical markets are held. There are but few Koreans who cannot find one of these chang within ten miles of their homes. As a rule, these are held once in five days ; but there are many special markets for special objects. Almost every Korean product has its special season. The agricultural products are naturally more in evidence in the summer and autumn. Almost all farmers add to their income by some sort of handicraft during the winter, and the products of such work are on sale during the winter and spring months.

For long centuries there existed a Peddlers' Guild, composed of thousands of men throughout the country who travelled on foot with packs on their backs, and peddled their goods from house to house. They had regular circuits, and their organisation was quite complete. In later times this guild fell into decay, and was superseded by a gang of evil men who were used by corrupt officials to do questionable work. They were not peddlers, and the unsavoury reputation of the " Peddlers' Guild " should not attach to the genuine peddlers.

It was mainly through the markets and the peddlers that domestic trade was carried on in the country. In the great centres ordinary shops were common, and almost every commodity was handled by a separate guild. The freemasonry of