KOREA, known to the natives as Chosen, written by the French Tsio-sen or Tsyo Syeun, in some respects to be regarded as an independent section of the Asiatic mainland. It is a peninsula with the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea on the E. and W., and Manchuria and Russia on the N. Its area is 80,000 or 90,000 square miles, and its coast-line 1740 miles. Of all modern states, Korea has maintained the most exclusive isolation, not only from Western influences, but also from those of the surrounding lands. Politically, it consists of an autonomous hereditary monarchy, divided into eight tao or provinces, with a ruler who styles himself Hap-mun. People are chiefly agricultural ; but gold, silver, copper, iron, and argentiferous galena are abundant, and to some extent have long been worked. Coal has not been found. Some of the lead mines are 800 feet deep, with sidings.
The Koreans resemble the Japanese and Chinese in dress, habits, and religion. The Manchu call the Korean race Solgo, Sol-bo, or Sol-ho. The people follow Confucianism and Buddhism, but have mauy shamanist customs, with spirit and ancestor worship, sylvan, river, and mountain deities.
The Koreans were driven out of East Tartary into the peninsula which they now occupy. They have since been conquered by the Japanese. Their country was subsequently invaded by the Mongol, on which occasion the Siogour Yoritomo defeated Kablai Khan. From this province of Japan sailed, by way of Iki and Tsusima Island, the two expeditions of Japanese Catholics who, between 1590 and 1610, were banished upon a crusade against Korea, and through Korea, China. The then emperor, Taikosama, took this means, thinking, if his 150,000 Catholics perished, he would be rid of a faction dangerous to his supremacy; should they succeed, he would push them forward to conquer China. The Japanese
expedition in three months fought their way to the Ping-Yang river ; in other words, gained two thirds the length of the kingdom. But then, abandoned by Taikosama, to their fate, they were driven by winter, cold, and snow, and by the Chinese troops who came to the aid of Korea with matchlocks, of which the latter then knew not the use, to relinquish step by step the ground they had so rapidly won.
The Koreans have flat faces, oblique eyes, broad cheek-bones strong black hair, and scanty beard ; they are strongly made ; their skin varies from tawny or yellow to brown, wheat or straw colour, and reddish-yellow. They have a mixture of the Chinese and Japanese physical features. Their religion is Buddhist.
Korean Buddhists and Buddhism were made known to Mexico by Chinese priests in the 5th century A.D., and had followers in that country until the 13th century, when the conquering Aztecs put an end to it.
Their mode of writing is alphabetic, and they are said to possess an extensive literature. The Korean or Corean language strongly resembles the Japanese, and it approximates phonetically to the Burma-Chinese group. Its Scythic cha racter has been considerably modified by the Chinese. Dr. Gutzlaff says the present spoken language consists in great part of composite words, in which the words of both languages are united to express one idea.—Mr. Logan in .1. 1. Archipelago ; Adams; Nagasaki, 12th May 1871; Latham; Eneyclopxdia Britannica ; Hue's Chris tianity; Griff. Corea.