How
did foreigners in the West see Joseon people?
Probably, Hamel is the only person who has mentioned about
it. Hamel expressed about the national traits of Joseon
people frankly and plainly.
They frequently steal things, tell a lie, and defraud
other people, so do not believe them to excess.
Even if they do wrong to others, they talk big and proudly.
It seems they are not shamed at all.
They are kind and gullible, we can cheat them as we
want.
They like foreigners, especially Buddhist monks.
According to another Hollander, Jan Jans Weltevree(Park
Yeon), when the Ching China crossed an ice road
and conquered this country, more people killed themselves
by hanging themselves than those who were arrested and
killed by an enemy. They do not think suicide is a sin
and even treat them with undue favor.
It is taboo for them to see blood. If one fell on the
ground, everyone runs away. They avoid meeting patients,
especially those suffering from infectious cases. They
take them to small houses outside the village which
are built to have them.
Other patients' houses or infectious villages are blocked
by wooden columns. Their roofs are covered with thorn
bushes to signal strangers. |
