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34 rea, and they have ever since been the ruling ideas in the mind of the Korean, though I am not willing to accept wholly the views of those who claim that everything in Korea has been borrowed from China. Kija was succeeded by his son, and the dynasty continued till about the year 193 B.C.

So with varying fortunes the kingdom continued till about the beginning of the Christian era. To quote again from Professor Hulbert: "In the year which saw the birth of Christ the situation of affairs in Korea was as follows: In the north Ko-gu-ryu, a vigorous, warlike kingdom was making herself thoroughly feared by her neighbors; in the central portion was the little kingdom of Pak-je, as yet without any claims to independence, but waiting patiently for the power of Ma-han so to decline as to make it possible to play the serpent in the bosom as Wi-man had done to Kija's kingdom. In the south was Sil-la, known as a peaceful power, not needing the sword, because her rule was so mild and just that people from far and near flocked to her borders and craved to become her citizens. It is one of the compensations of history that Sil-la, the least martial of them all, in an age when force seemed the only arbiter, should have finally overcome them all and imposed upon them her laws and language."

The above will give the reader some little idea of what is known of the beginning of Korea's history. To all who may wish to make a study of the subject I would recommend "The History of Korea," by Professor Hulbert.