Page:Village life in Korea (1911).djvu/113



Korea, theoretically speaking, there are but two classes of society; but, as a matter of fact, there are three well-defined classes. The two classes which are supposed to constitute the entire social system are the gentleman, or yang-ban, and the low class, or syangnome. The yang-ban is supposed to be a gentleman of blood — that is, by inheritance he is better than common humanity and is not to be thought of as belonging to the same class. At some time (it may be in the very far distant past—yes, as much as ten generations ago) some of his ancestors held office and were considered gentlemen by the king; and by virtue of this fact he has inherited certain rights and privileges that do not come to the common herd. The fact that he is a gentleman is sufficient ground for him to excuse himself from everything in the shape and form of common labor. He is born to rule—that is, to hold office and get his living by the labor of other men's hands. The passion to hold office and to rule seems to be one of the strongest in the breast of the yang-ban; to obtain worldly honor and power is the goal which has been placed for him, and toward the obtaining of this he bends whatever energy he may be disposed to use.

In all the arts of politeness our village gentleman is a past master of the first degree. From the time he (99)