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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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 Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject: Hamel's Korean journal, 1654: Korea then and now... |
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see any similarities?
�Koreans think there are but twelve countries or kingdoms in the whole world. They say that once theses counties once were all subject to the Emperor of China and that they had to pay tribute to him. . . When we mentioned a number of countries they all laughed at us, saying these must be names of cities and villages.�
�The nobility and well-to-do people give their children a good education. . . They mostly sit day and night and read. It is admirable to see how these young boys know and explain the texts which form the basis of their learning.�
"Noblemen often go to a monastery to enjoy themselves with whores and other company, because the monasteries are very beautifully situated in the mountains amidst woods. . . they look more like brothels and taverns than temples. Ones should know that in the ordinary monasteries the monks are much inclined to drinking.�
�This nation treats their women as no more than female slaves, whom they can renounce on account of a trifle. It the man does not want the children, the renounced woman must take them all with her. Little wonder this country is so densely populated.�
http://www.dprkstudies.org/2006/11/17/book-review-hendrik-hamel%E2%80%99s-korea-journal-1653-1666/ |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| monastery = room salon. |
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SuperFly
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Location: In the doghouse
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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| History repeats itself and some things never change. |
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Smee
Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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Good shit dug up by "The Joshing Gnome":
http://joshinggnome.wordpress.com/2008/02/11/sound-familiar/
Here they are asking permission to leave:
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| Foreigners never received permission to leave the country. So we had to reconcile ourselves to staying in this country for the rest of our lives. To the custom of the country he invited us accordingly to amuse him with dancing, singing and clownish behavior. Though we fulfilled this obligation with little talent and as little enthusiasm, our performance was to the liking of the king and his court. |
Here they are on display:
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Because the rumor had been spread that we looked more like monsters than like human creatures. It was being said that, when we wanted to drink, we had to put our noses behind our ears. And that our heads were best to be compared to the head of a sea cow. A closer acquaintance with us was a disappointment for most of them, because we didn�t look that monstrously as one had expected, or maybe even hoped.
Actually most Koreans didn�t think at all that we were ugly. They admired the whiteness of our skin. The possession of it is being regarded at as something desirable. In the beginning we couldn�t show ourselves on the street or a crowd was following us, or people were surrounding us and were gaping at us.
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Sadebugo1
Joined: 11 May 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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Being forced to sing?? Gosh, I've never been cajoled into going to a norebang, have you?
Also, I've never been followed in the streets by a gang of kids, have you?
Korea is much different today than four hundred years ago!!
Sadebugo
Djibouti, Horn of Africa
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/ |
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that guy
Joined: 29 Feb 2004
Location: long gone
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:06 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the link.
Koreans have been trying to stop the world knowing of their existence for centuries.
Isn't ironic then that nowadays they are suddenly outraged, when most foreigners seem to know nothing about korea, let alone be able to find it on a map. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:40 am Post subject: |
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| One similarity that I remember from the book was the 'green shower' thing...going out in the country on days off for a picnic. |
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itaewonguy
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:53 am Post subject: |
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| As concerns loyalty and disloyalty, as well as courage, this nation is much inclined to staling, lying and cheating. One should not trust them too much.On the other hand Koreans are good natured and very credulous. We could make them believe anything we wanted. They like strangers, |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:09 am Post subject: |
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| it started to freeze so hard that the big river (the Han Kang) near the city froze. |
I'm told the Han river used to freeze solid every winter until about the late 70's.
I've never seen it freeze in 4 years here. Climate change? |
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I'm Seoul Lost
Joined: 19 Jun 2006
Location: In the mountains of Gyeonggi
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:18 am Post subject: |
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| Julius wrote: |
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| it started to freeze so hard that the big river (the Han Kang) near the city froze. |
I'm told the Han river used to freeze solid every winter until about the late 70's.
I've never seen it freeze in 4 years here. Climate change? |
Or toxic waste?
I wonder how well it burns. |
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catman
Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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| I noticed that the Joseon era has been romanticized in the Korean media. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Awesome, I've been wanting to read that for years. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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Barbarians at the time:
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When someone criticizes the verdict that has been passed by the king, or on his behalf, will be punished severely. The king had a sister-in-law who was very skillful in making clothes. The king requested her to make a dress for him. The fact was that this woman nourished a deep hate against the king. That's why she sowed some witches herbs in the lining of the dress. As a consequence he felt very uncomfortable, when he wore the dress, and couldn't find any rest. That's why he had the dress examined. When they had unpicked the dress, they discovered the malicious herbs hidden in it. The king became outrageous and had the woman locked up in a room of which the floor was made of copper plates. Here under a fire was lit, so that the woman slowly stewed and subsequently died.
An acquaintance of the woman, a high placed civil servant, who was highly esteemed at the court protested against this. He thought that one should not treat a woman, especially a woman in a prominent position, like that. Here upon the high civil servant was caught. He received 120 beatings on the shins and was then beheaded. His goods and slaves were confiscated. Offenses like that, and also the other ones I will mention further on, are considered to be a personal offense. The family of the culprit is not being punished, like in the case of high treason. |
And another good one:
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A woman, who kills her husband, is buried alongside a road on which a lot of people pass, in a way that only her head sticks out of the ground. Next to her they put a wooden saw, with which everybody who passes her, except the nobility, has to saw one time on her head, until she dies. |
And another:
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| Who is guilty of manslaughter, is punished as follows: the corps of the body is washed with vinegar and dirty water. This mixture is poured into the mouth of the criminal with a funnel. Then his swollen belly is beaten with sticks until it bursts. |
And a practice which still goes on today:
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| The most usual punishment in this country consists of beatings on the calves or buttocks. This is not considered to be disgraceful, because a little offense. can already be a cause. |
Another nice quote:
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| In this country they smoke a lot, both men and women. And they start early with it. Many a time I saw a four-year-old toddler smoke a pipe. |
Last edited by bassexpander on Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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