Page:The passing of Korea.djvu/461

 with evil spirits. The p'ansu, or blind exorcist, is an enemy of the spirits and drives them away by a superior power, but the mudang is supposed to secure their departure by friendly intercession. This, of course, determines her unenviable position, and no women in Korea are more depraved than she.

Female slavery is very common. This will be discussed under the head of slavery, but as it is an exclusively female institution, it must be enumerated here. She may be a born slave, she may be made one as punishment for a crime, either of her own or of a near relative, or she may sell herself into lifelong or temporary slavery in order to liquidate a debt or to help a relative to do so. Her condition is somewhat better than that of many of Korea's poor, for she is sure of food and shelter, which is far more than thousands can say. As a rule, she is treated well, and her condition does not specially excite our pity. She will be seen carrying water home from the well on her head, and not only will her face be uncovered, but there will be a startling hiatus between her short jacket and her waistband which leaves the breasts entirely exposed. One recent writer on Korea leaves the impression that this species of indecorum is characteristic of all women on the streets of Seoul, but of course this is a libel.

The professional go-between, who acts in the capacity of a matrimonial bureau, is one of the peculiar excrescences on the body politic of Korea. It is her business to find brides for the bachelors and husbands for the maidens. Her services are not absolutely necessary, for the parents or other relatives of the young man or woman are usually able to arrange an alliance; but there are many cases in which her services will be of value. If an undesirable young man or woman fears that he or she will not draw a prize in the matrimonial lottery, the chungma is called in, and it is made worth her while to find an acceptable partner. So it comes about that she is well worth watching, and her description of the prospective bride or groom should be verified, if possible, by ocular evidence. A case has just