The Butchers of Korea
"Three years ago in the fourth month the butchers living in Koan Chä Köl, City of Seoul, Empire of Tai Han, sent to the Minister of the Home Department a…
Location: Seoul, Korea
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
"The Butchers of Korea," from The Korean Repository by Mr. Pak and translated by S.F. Moore, 1898.
Three years ago in the fourth month the butchers living in Koan Chä Köl, City of Seoul, Empire of Tai Han, sent to the Minister of the Home Department a statement of their troubles and a petition for redress of grievances. This petition was as follows:
We your humble servants have for 500 odd years followed the business of slaughtering animals as a means of livelihood. Altho we have all this time been faithful in attending to the work required of us by the government in connection with the great annual sacrifices, all of which labor has been performed gratuitously and with a ready mind, yet we have been treated as the lowest of the seven despised ranks in that, while the other despised classes have all been allowed to wear the large sleeves, the hat, the mangen (a band used to keep the top-knot in place) we, your humble servants, only, are not allowed to do so. We receive contempt from all men, and moreover, the underlings from every magistracy in every province and district come frequently, demand money, and take it away. If we refuse to give it they strike us in the face, tear our clothes, and curse us with frightful words.
Also they arrest us and force us to do a great deal of work for which we receive not one cash in payment, but only mocking, reviling words. And what is more, even from boys three feet high we receive low talk.
Where in this world can there be found such a sorrowful, pitiable company whose grievances and troubles are so many that they cannot be enumerated. While the Quang tai (buffoon) who ranks even lower than your humble servants wears the hat, mangen, and sash, and dresses like other men, we alone, your humble servants, are not allowed to do so, and therefore sorrow fills our minds, and penetrates even to our very bones.
On bended knee we have heard that your excellency is now renouncing the former oppressive customs and establishing new laws, and since this is what your humble servants have hoped and longed for day and night, we now, casting away fear, venture to come boldly before your excellency and on bended knee beg your excellency to issue an especial decree making it known in every province and magistracy that the petition of your humble servants is accepted, and that henceforth your humble servants shall be allowed to wear the hat and mangen, and that the servants of the magistrates are forbidden from this time forth to maltreat us, your humble servants.
The reply sent back was as follows:
"Your desire is granted, wear the hat and mangen, dress like other men, and be on common level. Take heed, however, lest you have only the appearance of being like others, and consider carefully your inward prosperity. If the servants at the magistracies come to oppress you, be careful-do not quarrel with them but show them this decree?"
Also in the same year in the eleventh month another petition was sent in to the Home Department as follows:
"The new law has been introduced into every province and magistracy except the Province of Kang-won where there is trouble everywhere on account of the Tong Häks. Since we have not been able up to this time been able to wear the hat and mangen, and since our troubles from the underlings remain just as before, your humble servants petition that orders be issued from Choong Chun (the seat of the governor in Kang Won province) to every magistracy that the new law be observed as in the other provinces."
The reply was "since we have already issued the decree do not trouble us any further"
Also one year later in the third month we petitioned again as follows:
"Altho all the other low class people are registered in the national records, we, your humble servants only, are not included in the census, so that although since we are allowed to wear the hat and mangen there is an appearance of our being on the common level it is not so in reality. We pray that your humble servants may be also included in the national registration."
The answer was
"Since all are alike subjects how can your request be refused, and your grievance be left unremoved?"
Also since that time we have had many troubles being asked to work without pay, and the underlings have troubled us as before. We have sent in a number of petitions which have been favorably answered, and still up to the present time there are many places where our troubles remain just as before.
Mr. Pak adds in a postscript
"If His Majesty, the Emperor, only knew of these grievances of several thousands of His faithful subjects we are sure they would be remedied but since there is no one to speak to him for us we are the more sorrowful."
The custom of regarding butchers as the lowest of mankind, seems to have originated as a deduction from the teachings of Confucius and his disciples. Confucius said, "Since men cannot bear to listen to the dying cries of animals all the noble and wise agree that the slaughter-house should be far from the dwellings of men."
Mr. Pak and S. F. Moore, "The Butchers of Korea" in The Korean Repository, vol. 5 (Seoul: The Trilingual Press, 1898).
About TOTA
TOTA.world provides cultural information and sharing across the world to help you explore your Family’s Cultural History and create deep connections with the lives and cultures of your ancestors.
