A KOREAN GENERAL IN THE STREETS OF SEOUL
The Korean general in this palanquin must be a very important person indeed. See the large number of attendants he has. An ordinary palanquin is carried by two coolies. Only high officials, foreign consuls, or legal advisers of the emperor are supposed to have four, and in the pictures we see at least eight men taking this general through the streets of Seoul. Only four seem to be really carrying the chair, so the men at the side are probably not coolies. See, their hats and clothing are different from those of the coolies.
The streets of Seoul are very wide, but look narrow because the shopkeepers put up booths in front of their houses, and spread out their wares before them, on mats or trays, so that there is not much room left. One very wide street has two rows of houses or booths down the middle; so it seems as though there were three narrow streets instead of one wide one.
When the emperor passes through in procession all these booths are taken down, and the street is swept and decorated in his honour. The next day the booths are put up again and affairs go on in quite the usual way.
There is an interesting old bronze bell in Seoul, which used to be rung in the morning and at sunset. The gates of the city were closed at dark, and all the men had to stay at home and could not be out on the street, except at festival times.
A Korean General carried in an official Chair through the Streets of Seoul, Korea
From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York