Carrie Chapman Catt - Diaries, Korea and Japan, October 4th - 30th, 1912 (Box 1, Folder 8)

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Diaries of Carrie Chapman Catt, a noted leader in the woman suffrage movement, written during a trip around the world.

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Korea Tuesday, Oct. 4, 1912

On Sept. 28, [we?] travelled all day comfortably from [Mukden?], where we [bode?] adieu to Manchuria, to Seoul, the Capital of Korea as the world has long known that country. To the natives who have occupied the land since man trod upon the soil. It has been known as Chōsen (with s soft) the Land of Morning Calm. Where, two years ago this country was annexed to Japan, it was stipulated in the treaty, that the territory was hereafter to be known to the world by that name. We arrived at about 8:30 after having [illegible] on the train. A splendidly [trained?] hotel runner from the "Sontag" took charge of us and loaded our baggage in short order in the hotel while we had a maid ride us in a ricksha [rickshaw] lighted by a long paper lantern in red and white and [announcing?] the name of the hotel. It was a [pretty?] night for every [pedestrian?] or horseman or [mekosha?] had some kind of a paper lantern. We were comfortably cared for, with a bathroom handy. We had [broom?] [illegible] [illegible]. On Sunday morning, I chanced [illegible] at the wrong room door, looking for Mrs. [illegible] Vey and so met a stray American woman from Boston. Miss C. Norris who [seemed?] to be a leader in mutual healing. Discovering that she was alone, I, by [consent?] thus asked her [illegible] for the day. We took a guide from the hotel and started forth. We visited the palace where the Emperor lived before Japan put him out of business. It was made like a [illegible] with many small buildings, tiled and [illegible] [canvas?] mounted with the usual quaint little animals in faience, all out in big grounds and separated by courts. There was a fine view from

Last edit over 2 years ago by EricRoscoe
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This shows costume of average Corean [Korean] man. Notice hat.

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one point, and it was a pleasing but not novel experience. From there we rode through the length of the [illegible] [illegible] palace, [we?] [transformed?] with a Chōsen Museum by the Japs. A [illegible] building occupies a hill wherein the most valuable things are. These have been taken from old graves chiefly. There are some find old gods and guards in brass and stone, and in time it will be a valuable museum. It is now worthwhile, but it was fatiguing as we had to go from building to building. We were not prepared either for the [change?] from Peking and Mukden cold to 85º heat which we found in Seoul. We returned in the hotel late for our lunch. rested a very short time and at four started out again. We visited a park on the hilltop to which we had [illegible]. We were [serenaded?] by a magnificent view over the city and country. We visited another park where there were some fine stone carvings and in [illegible] of the fact that it was Sunday we spent the rest of the time shopping. The only places open were those kept by natives. We possessed ourselves of some several trifles, just for souvenirs and must back for [illegible] Before we had finished it, our guide came to [tell?] us that if we would see a [procession?] we had planned to see, we must come at once. [illegible] we started in our lantern if [illegible] rickshas [rickshaws]. the thing we wanted to see was the [illegible] procession [procession] of a funeral. The day before the brother of the ex-emperor was buried. A wonderful procession [illegible] [illegible] has body to the imperial cemetery stone 15 miles away, Europeans living there thought the procession a a sort of patriotic demonstration [demonstration] because of opposition to Japanese control for old costumes [illegible] and old customs followed as they

Last edit over 2 years ago by EricRoscoe
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These long slender pipes are used all over China Manchuria and Chōsen.

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had not been for some years. In former times when a Mongol Emperor was buried in any of his countries, several coffins were carried so as to scare away or rather confuse the spirits who might interfere with peaceful interment. They [concluded?] [illegible] which one contained the dead, nor which grave contained the right coffin. This time they carried only two coffins and a "right smart" spirit might guess right, since the real one was carried by 24 men and the empty one by four. Before the coffin [illegible] [those?] who scattered sham money and real food to appease the spirits; where others rang bells and beat tom-toms to scare them away. The procession [illegible] from one side of the street to the other also to further [bewilder?] the spirits. [Illegible] didn't see that procession, had some [illegible] of it would return in order and we were for seeing that. We came to a place where some gentlemen in European dress were waiting and we were invited to come [with?] a large [illegible] space surrounded by [illegible] rails and [beguiled?] by [illegible]. Here about 20 men were waiting they gave us chairs which was a tremendous [favor?] for we had [illegible] at least 1 1/2 hours. Then came a long double line of men carrying huge red gauge [illegible], and when these had passed there came a group of donkeys, each carrying a wailing woman in white. They were all doing their duty as this passed and if they had wailed all of the [illegible] days as [illegible], I can only say that they earned all they would be paid. Then came [illegible] [doubles?] line of men carrying red and white lanterns and these marched [under?] our open space. Behind them came a closed palanquin carried by about 8 men, and accompanied by as many

Last edit over 2 years ago by EricRoscoe
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