Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ariellowen]

Why are there no donkeys in Korea?

Just about every country I have been in (not that many, fifteen), I have seen donkeys, or some sort of beasts of burden-- but I have never seen a donkey in Korea; or for that matter, any other beast of burden.

Why is this?

If you have doubts, go to "Google Images" and search for 'donkey Syria' or 'donkey China' or even 'donkey Cambodia' or 'donkey Canada' and you will see many pictures of donkeys. But when you search for 'donkey Korea' you will not see any donkeys what so ever.

My first theory as to why there are no donkeys in Korea, is that man himself has been the traditional beast of burden in Korea. It is easy enough to find a picture or drawing of a 'Korean coolie' and also of a 'Korean Sedan Chair' (check these terms out on "Google Images"). The words 'Asia' and 'Korean' appear right in the first sentence of the definition of 'coolie' on "Wikipedia." Coolies and Sedan Chairs were (I think) never common in the West. Is this because of some sort of divergence in the Eastern and Western concepts of labor or man?

However, the above seems unduly philosophical. My second theory was that the donkey never "made it to" Korea. "Wikipedia" says that the donkey originated in Nubia (south Egypt), and from there spread through out the Middle-East, Europe, and was eventually brought to the New World. Furthermore, it is possible to find images of water buffalo acting as beasts of burden in old pictures taken in Korea (see 'water buffalo korea' on "Google Images"). But there are still so many un-answered questions; the horse made it to Korea by Shilla times if not earlier, so why did a small horse never serve as a beast of burden in Korea, as is the case in at least some parts of South-East Asia? Or did it? On "Google Images," 'donkey India' provides many images, so perhaps this is the route that brought donkeys into 'Indo-China'? I have also heard rumors that there were some camels in Korea of old, if this is in fact true, it seems impossible that donkeys wouldn't have made it. And how prevelent was the use of water buffaloes as beasts of burden in old Korea, would it be wrong to imagine that Korea had and probably still has a lowly opinion of human labor? Certainly Koreans have a very endurance minded view of work.

Any insights?

[heydelores]

My father lived in Korea in the early 70s and has photos of water buffalo. He even helped plow a rice field with one once.

I have no idea about donkeys, though.

[laogaiguk]

[Woland]

Donkey - that's good eatin'!

(I'm feeling very silly tonight)

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Woland]

[maerong]

The donkey disappeared from Korea after a breeding pair of "donkey-chicken" escaped from a research facility at Seoul National University. The pure bred donkeys were no match for the genetically superior donkey-chicken and died out within a couple of generations.

[SuperFly]

That's not true at all. Why do some people always want to beat on the Koreans? What really happened is that during the occupation of Korea by Japan (1905-1945) all the donkeys were taken by the Japanese, along with all the grass, the trees and the girls.

[doggyji]

Lately, it looks most Korean e-donkey servers died out... that's sad.

[Grotto]

pretty much the same reason there are no horses for the most part....no plains, lots of mountains....asses and horses dont produce edible products and were therefore of no use.

Cows: meat, milk
Chicken:meat eggs
fish:meat, eggs
bondeggi:larva.....not really sure why they like it but they do
asses:good to ride..not so good to eat

[jinks]

I saw two donkeys in Gyeongnam, Geochang.

[Zulu]

[Hyeon Een]

Koreans used to use donkeys back in the day.
Here's a picture of an official's donkey:

[ariellowen]

Hmm.... Some intersesting things to think about here. So there were donkeys and small horses in old Korea, and at least a few are still to be found. Very interesting. I have many times been so amazed at seeing farm work here done by hand, perhaps beasts of burden are very unprofitable for these tasks?

[VanIslander]