society. He is treated politely by everyone, but he is looked upon very much as a pensioner. He receives no salary, but the boys bring him frequent presents, and he ekes out a living in some way. But there is a more dignified side to the question. Teaching seems to be looked upon as a thing that cannot be estimated in money value. You can buy the services of a cobbler or a mason, but knowledge is too fine a thing to be bartered. The same holds true of medicine. The physician takes no regular fee, but is the recipient of a gift proportionate to the wealth of the patient and the amount of service rendered. Nominally the service is a gift.
In all Korea there is nothing corresponding to our learned professions, where large fees are required and the service rendered is almost purely an intellectual one.
Throughout the history of this country the aim of the boy has been to master the classics and acquire a literary style which will carry him through the national examinations called kwaga.[1] These were of various kinds. The novitiates in the country, having attended preliminary examinations at the provincial capitals under the eye of government examiners, those few who were successful were sent up to the capital, where several kinds of tests still awaited them. Some of these were merely preparatory or continuative, while others gave access to the long-desired haven of political preferment.
Three or four times every year the capital would swarm with men from the eight provinces who had come to make the great attempt. Some of them were old hands who had tried time and again without success. Behind the Kyöng-bok Palace lie the deserted examination grounds, where crowds gathered and sat in groups under enormous umbrellas writing furiously on their essays. These were upon themes propounded by the master of ceremonies or often by the King himself. No care seemed to be taken to prevent communication between the different aspirants, and opportunities to bring in concealed manuscripts were abundant. All sorts of tricks were played, and the
