Directory_and_Chronicle_1885 — Page 488

COREA SEOUL.

150

of the foreign trade of Cores is between three and four million dollars per annum. The principal articles of import are cotton manufactures, and of export, rice, hides and bones, beans, and gold. During the past two years there has been some trade with China and foreign countries, and a Foreign Customs service on the model of that of China has been established.

4

SEOUL.

The capital city of Han-yang, better known to foreigners as Seoul (which is merely the bative term for capital), is situated almost in the centre of the province of Kiung-kei, on the north side of and about three miles from the river Han, about thirty- five miles from its mouth. It lies in 37 deg. 30 min. N. lat. and 127 deg. 4 min, E. long. Han-yang means "the fortress on the Han." The city is enclosed by erenellated walls of varying height, averaging about twenty feet, with arched stone bridge spanning the water-courses. Mr. J. C. Hall, who visited it in 1881, says the city is in the form of an irregular oblong, and stretches lengthwise in a valley that runs from north-east to south- west. On its northern side is a range of bold granite bills, the topmost peaks of which are about 3,500 feet high; on its southern side, trending to the east, is a long chain of hills about half tt height. The city wall is carried along the top of the southern Lill; but the s vgs of the northern side require no artifi ial strengthening. The houses are abo. ht or nine feet high, built of stone or mud, and mostly roofed with tiles. A long main street, about 100 feet wide, running east and west, divides the city into two nearly equal portions. In the northern half are the walled inclosurea containing the king's palace, and the more important public buildings. The royal inclosure is bounded on its north side by the precipitous sides of the granite peaks above-mentioned; on its south side it is entereil by three great wooden gates, the central and principal one of which is called the Thoi-hwa-man; the one to the east of this is the Hwing-hwa-mun; that to the west the Kwang-hwa-mun. Inside the inclosure are two palaces. The older of the two, in which the king has resided for the last eight years, is close to the Thoi-hwa-mun. The other, close to the Kwang-hwa-mun, was built about forty years ago. The king lived in it for about six years after his accession to the throne, but a conflagration which partly destroyed it compelled him to move into the old palace. It is now being rebuilt. A street about 50 feet wide from the front of the Thi-hwa-mun intersects the main street at right angles, dividing the northern half of the city into eastern and western quarters. At the point of intersection stands a pavilion called Chong-kak (the "Bell Kiosk") from a large bell about seven feet high which is placed there. This spot is regarded as the centre of the city; and from it another street, as wide as the main street, branches off to the south west and terminates at the Nun-tai-mun. The four wide streets which thus radiate from the "Bill Kiosk" are known as the four Chong-ro or "Bell roads." Another conspicuous feature of this central part of the city is the row of large warehouses two storeys high, the lower portions of which are divided off into little shops, opening into a small court-yar 1 instead of facing the street. The chief public buildings, apart from the royal inclosure, are three palaces, two of which belong to the king, while the third belonged to his father, the Dai In-kun. The Nam-kung, or "South Palare" stands near the south great gate. The Nam- pyôl-kung, or "South Separate Palace," stands near the western great gate, and is reserved exclusively for the reception of the Chinese Favoys. The Un-hyön-kang, or Cloud-Mound Palace," is in the northern side of the city, between the royal inclosure and the main street in front, and between the central and western palace gates (the Thoi-hwa-mun and the Kwang-bwa-mun). This was the city residence of the ex-Regent. It is by far the strongest inclosure in Seoul. It is surrounded by a strong stone wall, and some of the atones of the main gateway are of immense size. The style of architecture of these palaces is that of the one-storeyed Chinese yauên. The offices of the Six Ministries or administrative boards, the Ryuk-phan-so, are small houses at the head of the street leading from the Kwang-