Review: Korean Works & Days

Korean Works & Days by Richard Rutt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Richard Rutt was a Catholic (and Anglican: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rutt) priest who lived in Anjung, Korea, and in this book he recorded the village life he witnessed and which, unbeknownst to him (or maybe he had an inkling), would pretty much disappear within a few decades. 

This book, written in 1964, is choc full of many little tidbits about old Korean traditions and ways of life. Like how the older men would grow their pinky fingernails out, witnessing the exchange of poetry and wordplay (using Chinese characters). 

It also seems pretty critical of the "kye" rotating credit system, which is interesting since the last book I read about it (Yogong: Factory Girl) seemed to be in favor of it. 

Some other interesting points:

Hearing how Suwon was back then

"This is the kind of village where they understand all twelve flavours in an ox's head"

"On the 7th day of the 7th moon they celebrate the star Vega under the name of the Spinning Maiden" (this must be the Qixi festival)

"Chuseok's Korean name is Han-gawi" (I Never knew this)

"Like most Korean villages, ours has a chop-house run by a family of Shantung Chinese"

The festivals were fascinating, and probably don't exist anymore ("dance and wrestling festival")

No mentions of Taekwondo, but it mentions traditional Korean wrestling, which reminded me of Sumo wrestling (or more like Schwingen, as we had back in Switzerland)

He mentions a memorial for Sin Suk-chu, who I had never heard of before (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Suk-ju)

"Korea knows no tea" - Interesting statement (p. 144)

The naming conventions are fascinating, and I don't remember encountering nearly this many issues in the 1990s (then again, I was in Seoul)

"I know a high school boy who did not even know his mother's surname until I told him" (p. 149)

One man refused to pronounce a certain character correctly because it was the personal name of the first King of the Joseon dynasty. 

Some books he mentions that I would like to read in the future:

J.R. Moose: "Village life in Korea" (1909)

J.S. Gale: "Korean sketches" (1899)

View all my reviews

Review: Korea: A Walk Through the Land of Miracles

Korea: A Walk Through the Land of Miracles by Simon Winchester
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Like others, I read (and loved) "The Professor and the Madman", so when I saw the same author had written a book about Korea, I had to read it. Hmmmm. 

Some interesting notes:

- There used to be fencing all along the East coast (was this still there when I was there? It definitely wasn't as popular as it is now)

- Apparently you couldn't keep maps you bought outside the country. 

- The maps also didn't specify a border between North and South Korea (is this true??)

- Koreans weren't issued passports during the 1980s (?)

- I'd like to know more about the Catholic priests and nuns in Jejudo at the time. 

- The story about Jeju's (possibly) communist uprising before the Korean war was fascinating. 

- And at some point he says he mentions a Korean poet (brother of the buddhist monk he is hanging out with), called Hwang Chi-woo. Thanks to google, I can now confirm that it is probably this person: https://wordswithoutborders.org/contributors/view/hwang-ji-woo/

- Also fascinating about the Chollipo arboretum. 

Some others have commented on how critical he seems of US military personnel in Korea. While I find his general attitude very annoying, from what I remember from the 90s in Korea, some of that military personnel really wasn't the type you'd want to hang out with. Back then we would avoid Itaewon like the plague. Still, he constantly makes use of Americans and their facilities for places to stay, transportation, letting him go to the DMZ, etc., but feels the need to trash them at every turn, and loves to mention how much more he is respected as an Englishmen than an American would be. 

While we're at it, his attitude toward Korean women is irritating to say the least. Apparently they all can't get enough of him and seem to throw themselves at him. 

The most interesting part of the book is at the very end, when he mentions someone (whose name he isn't allowed to disclose), who apparently was allowed to go back and forth from South to North Korea and back freely. I assume, at this point, this person is retired and/or has passed away, but I can't seem to find any information on who it might be. 

2.5 stars

View all my reviews

Review: Virtuous Women: Three Classic Korean Novels

Virtuous Women: Three Classic Korean Novels by Richard Rutt

My review of A Nine Cloud Dream here: 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4896347956

Queen Inhyon was a good story, although to be honest she seemed much too overly obstinate, even considering the time, place and circumstances. 

Ch'un-Hyang was a good, entertaining story, although the trickery at the end seemed excessive. 

Still, it's sort of annoying that the women in these stories seem to have no agency, and all decisions need to be made by the man. The only moral for the women is that if they are obedient and chaste, good things will happen to them. 

View all my reviews

Review: The Catholic Church in Korea: Its Origins, 1566-1784

The Catholic Church in Korea: Its Origins, 1566-1784 by Juan Ruiz de Medina
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A rather fascinating look into the origins of the Korean Catholic Church. Of course, pretty much zero percent of the book actually deals with Korea. It discusses how the first Korean converts were Koreans in exile in Japan (several thousand of them apparently), and how they brought the religion back to Korea. And then, several monks in China were trying to go to Korea to convert people, but apparently never made it. From then on, any information re: actual Catholic converts in Korea is pure conjecture. It seems like they existed, and even now several Catholic families date themselves back to the early 1600's apparently. But still, unfortunately we don't really have any concete information about the start of the Catholic church within Korea. 

Also, the fact that the author doesn't seem to speak/read Chinese or Korean seems like a weakness. I can't help wondering if he's missing anything. 

Having said all that, I did find the book to be a very interesting look, and I was rather amazed at how much documentation we have about these monks and priests around East Asia in the 1500s and 1600s. 

View all my reviews

Review: Naval Surgeon In Yi Korea: The Journal Of George W. Woods

Naval Surgeon In Yi Korea: The Journal Of George W. Woods by Fred C. Bohm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love these types of books, and for his time Woods seems to be pretty reliable and kept a very detailed journal. He seems to be quite enthralled with Korea and its people (again, given the times). 

Some of my highlights:

"I have never been so surprised at any sight as I was at the beauty, symmetry, and one might say grandeur, of this gateway, as well as with the artistic construction of both gateway and wall" (p.36, in reference to Namdaemun (South gate)? 

"She (Mrs. Foote) and Mrs. Mohlendorff are the only European ladies who have ever been in Seoul, and yet they have never met" (p. 43. Apparently there was some feud between their husbands?)

"After curfew, no man must go into the street, but women are allowed to wander until 1 a.m." (p. 52)

"The Colonel informed me - a Corean compliment - that I looked much older than 46" (P. 58)

"tea houses do not exist, because the people do not drink tea, as a rule" (p. 67)

"This is the sort of pageantry I like to see, something that in a few years will belong to the past, when the King will move like other civilised potentates and perhaps forget his ancestors, as our sceptical sovereigns have forgotten their religious duties" (p. 97, regarding a royal procession)

View all my reviews

Review: Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.-A.D. 907

Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.-A.D. 907 by Charles Holcombe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This had been on my wishlist forever, and I'm glad I read it. If you've read a smattering of the history of East Asian countries, this is a good book to bring it all together and see how they all relate. The section on Vietnam, especially, was all new to me (as well as the Southern Chinese "Yue" culture). 

I could have done without the final chapter on evolution, Darwinism, etc. 

Some of my notes:

"This was especially true in a China where it is doubtful that anyone ever normally spoke the classical written language aloud in ordinary conversation. In traditional China, the written language - "the only real language in the minds of many" - had not the slightest things to do with the modern vernacular". (p. 65)

From the beginning of the (Tang) dynasty... an "unbelievably high proportion" of those who were registered turned out to be women, who were conveniently largely tax exempt. (p. 83)

An instructive recent parallel may be found in the creation of the "Manchu" ethnic identity at the time of the establishment of the Qing dynasty in China in the seventeenth century. "There was, in fact, no traditional 'Manchu' culture or identity." There had been no previous Manchu "nation". Instead, there had been only a scattering of relatively small Tungusics-speaking bands. (p. 113)

...in the early seventh century, it was possible to observe of Paekche that their "current language and ceremonial apparel are roughly the same as in Koguryo". (p. 175)

View all my reviews

Review: A Slow Walk through Jeong-dong

A Slow Walk through Jeong-dong by Michael Gibb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another book I'm reading during COVID so I can vicariously travel, using it and google streetview (or Kakaomaps) as a guide. 

This is excellent. I wish more travel books were written in this manner. I took copious notes on the locations and their history. Some of the coffee shops and restaurants seem to be gone, but otherwise I can't wait until I'm back in Seoul and can take an afternoon to follow this itinerary. 

I keep hoping the author will do the same for other parts of Seoul, but I guess that is too much to ask. 

Some random notes I took:

Jeongno gil used to be called Legation Street, when Western countries first set up their embassies

Horace G. Underwood founded Chosun Christian College (which joined another school to become Yonsei)

Mary F. Scranton founded Ewha girls' school

View all my reviews

Review: Korean Travel Literature

Korean Travel Literature by Tae Joon Kim
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I confess I found this book useful mostly as a list of other books I'd like to find and read. It discusses Korean authors who have had something to do with travel over the centuries and dynasties. So, people who were exiled, who got lost abroad, who went on pilgrimages, who traveled within Korea and who were captured. It doesn't really go enough into detail for any of them to really get a sense of what they said or what they wrote about. So basically I am using it as a reference for finding whatever books I can in translation, at least until my Korean gets good enough to read them in Korean (or Chinese characters, as the case may be).


These authors/works have now been added to my wishlist:
Hye Cho's "memoir of a pilgrimage",
The women traveler/writers: Kim Geum-won and Lady Nam,
Yu Kil-chun,
Kim chun tae,
jeong yak yong and jeon yak-jeon (two exiled brothers),
Choe ik-hyeon,
Kim Ryeo,
Choe Bu's "Record of Drifting across the sea",
Kang Hang's "Memorials of a loyal subject" (experiences of a captive in Japan during the Hideyoshi invasion),
Shenyang Reports,
Nogajae's journal,
Damheon's Yanjing memoir,
Jehol diary (already on my list),
Shin Yu-han's "Journal of travel to Japan",
You Hong-june's "My exploration of cultural heritage"

View all my reviews

Review: The Korean Way

The Korean Way by Edward B. Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is interesting to read books like this so as to see how Korea was perceived by outsiders back in the 70s. I doubt this book is still in print, and there's no real reason for it to be, but it was good to read in a short session. The most interesting chapter was probably the one by Alice Rhee, returning to Korea after having grown up in the U.S., and her impressions of the school system during the late 70s.

Also, this book claims that Ewha University was the "largest women's college in the world". I wonder if that was really the case. It also included a nice brief summary of all Chosun dynasty kings (which they call the Yi dynasty).

View all my reviews

Review: Goguryeo: In Search of Its Culture and History

Goguryeo: In Search of Its Culture and History by Ho-T'Ae Chon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this, although it gave me the impression of a collection of writings next to museum exhibits (it isn't). The best part was probably the paintings, and it is beyond me how they could decipher some of them, seeing how faded they are. Also, it is a pity that so many of the sites are in North Korea, since we probably could have much more details about this kingdom otherwise.

I found it odd that they left a history of the kingdom to the end, rather than start with it at the beginning.

Also odd that there wasn't a section on their language. This was one of the points I'm was most curious about. Was it closer to Korean or Manchurian? A mixture? Neither of the two? I don't know. It isn't even mentioned.



View all my reviews

Review: The North Korean Revolution, 1945-1950

The North Korean Revolution, 1945-1950 by Charles K. Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is probably the best book I've come across detailing the period between the end of WWII and the beginning of the Korean War, from when North Korea was established to when it tried (and briefly succeeded) to invade the South. It was during this period that Kim Il-Sung set up North Korea as we know it today.

It was also very interesting to read about the Chondogyo religion and its spread during that time. I knew next to nothing about this before. Apparently it still exists in South Korea (with over 1 million followers!)

Highlighted passages:
"To this day, the language spoken by most Koreans in Yanbian is based on the Hamgyong dialect" (p. 18)

"In Germany as many as 2 million women were raped by members of the Soviet occupation forces". (p. 44)

"The state attempted to reverse the previous hierarchy and to put those of "good songbun", or the formerly "persecuted classes", on top." (p. 72)

"In Soviet-type economies, the state does not substitute for the working class, but rather for the exploiting class. The state then "creates" the working class, which is politically and economically dependent on the state and its officials" (p. 137)

"This helped the DPRK to remain viable after the Mongolian People's Republic, the one genuine Soviet Satellite in Asia, lost its legitimacy after the collapse of communist states in Eastern Europe" (p. 190)



View all my reviews

Review: Ginseng and Borderland: Territorial Boundaries and Political Relations Between Qing China and Choson Korea, 1636-1912

Ginseng and Borderland: Territorial Boundaries and Political Relations Between Qing China and Choson Korea, 1636-1912 by Seonmin Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found myself wondering if this book was written as part of the whole fight over the border between Korea and China, which I seem to remember was in the news a few years ago. Regardless, it deals almost entirely with that, and it changes nothing regarding the fact that it was pretty much the Yalu and Tumen rivers.

However, the book itself is very interesting. Obviously the border was never an issue before the Qing dynasty, since that area was Manchuria. Also, it seems like Ginseng was the main reason anyone had any interest in that area. Apparently some of the best Ginseng in the world grew there (but was over farmed, so you probably won't find any there now).

Interesting how the Chosun court gave Mu-ke-deng a faulty map, which placed the border somewhat more North than what it should have been, but this never got corrected nor was cared about too much. In fact, the Chosun court worried about it more and then found it a burden to try to send people to that area.
The more secure the Qing government was in its control over China, the more leeway they gave the Chosun government as regards the border, since they didn't feel any threat.

View all my reviews

Review: The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea

The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyŏng: The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea by Lady Hyegyeong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's interesting how she, as the wife of a prince and mother of the king, hoped future generations of her family would not serve in court, since she saw it as fraught with trouble and badmouthing and backstabbing, and would rather they just live and work away from the royal palace.

Also, understanding these are personal memoirs, and that, as a woman, she was kept apart from the governing issues of the royal family, it still struck me how her whole life revolved around palace intrigue and politics. She claims multiple times that no one suffers as she does, not really taking into account everything going on outside the palace walls.

Regardless, an interesting read. The last book is definitely the most interesting, since it tells the story of Prince Sado's descent into madness and imprisonment in the rice chest. I'm guessing he was a paranoid-schizophrenic, although I'm not sure. Wikipedia didn't help much.

View all my reviews

Review: Kyunyo-Jon: The Life, Times and Songs of a Tenth-Century Korean Monk

Kyunyo-Jon: The Life, Times and Songs of a Tenth-Century Korean Monk by Adrian Buzo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a book about an eleventh century biography (hagiography?) of a tenth century monk. I found the introduction indispensable, and the first part of Appendix B (about the early Korean writing system) quite interesting. In fact, they were probably more enlightening than the text itself, which, as I mentioned, is pretty hagiographical, essentially Marketing Kyunyo to Chinese and other non-Koreans.

Also a great introduction to Hua yen (Hwaom) Buddhism.

I'm glad someone translated and annotated this, but mainly because of the information surrounding it rather than the text itself.


View all my reviews

La sciamana di Chatsil by Tong-Ni Kim

La sciamana di Chatsil by Tong-Ni Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Molto interessante, una sciamana che vede suo figlio "posseduto dal demone Yasù", e il figlio cristiano che vuole convincere la sua mamma sciamana a convertirsi. Uno scontro di religioni e di generazioni diversi.

Mi chiedo se esiste ancora questo tipo di sciamanesimo in Corea. Sarebbe un peccato se non ci fosse più, ma mi ricordo d'aver intravisto alcuni pali totem come descritti nel libro nelle vicinanze di Busan diversi anni fa. Forse ci sono ancora sciamani come lei...




View all my reviews

The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China by Samuel Hawley

The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China by Samuel Hawley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a whirlwind. The Japanese overrun Korea in order to Conquer China, then get sent back, then return, and get sent back again. This will end up involving not only those three countries, but soldiers from as far as Thailand, Okinawa and Indonesia, the Spanish and the Portuguese, Catholic priests (including the first documented westerner to set foot in Korea), more games and tricks than Romance of the 3 kingdoms or game of thrones, and characters like Hideyoshi, Yi Sun-shin (probably the most underrated admiral/general ever), the Red robe general and Big Sword Liu. Anyway, so many other things were happening due to this war as well, such as Korean potters being taken to Japan and spreading new pottery styles (and neo-Confucianism), Japanese and Chinese negotiators forging documents so as to reach a peace settlement their rulers knew nothing about, slave traders buying Korean prisoners in Nagasaki and taking them to India and Europe, Catholic Japanese generals infighting with Buddhist Japanese generals, Korean political factions infighting amongst each other, bilingual double agents spreading misinformation, new weapons and ingenious tactical methods, etc. etc. This book does a great job of detailing the events in a coherent and chronological manner. It is a heavy, long, book, but definitely worth reading.


View all my reviews