. Corea, the hermit nation : I. Ancient and mediaeval history. II. Political and social Corea. III. Modern and recent history. e-pared for a war with the finest soldiers in Asia, as the Japaneseof the sixteenth century certainly were. Nor had they any leaderof ability to direct their efforts. Their king, Sien-jo, the fifteenthof the house of Ni, who had already reigned twenty-six years, wasa man of no personal importance, addicted entirely to his ownpleasures, a drunkard, and a debauchee. Though the royal pro-clamation was speedily issued, calling on the people to fortifytheir cities, to rebui
. Corea, the hermit nation : I. Ancient and mediaeval history. II. Political and social Corea. III. Modern and recent history. e-pared for a war with the finest soldiers in Asia, as the Japaneseof the sixteenth century certainly were. Nor had they any leaderof ability to direct their efforts. Their king, Sien-jo, the fifteenthof the house of Ni, who had already reigned twenty-six years, wasa man of no personal importance, addicted entirely to his ownpleasures, a drunkard, and a debauchee. Though the royal pro-clamation was speedily issued, calling on the people to fortifytheir cities, to rebuild the dilapidated castles, and to dig out themoats, long since choked by mud and vegetation, the people re-sponded so slowly, that few of the fortresses were found in orderwhen their enemies laid siege to them. Weapons were plentiful, ibut there were no firearms, save those presented as cvu-iosities bythe Taiko to the king. There was little or no military organiza-tion, except on paper, while the naval defences were in a sadplight. However, they began to em-oll and drill, to lay up stores THE INVASION—ON TO* SEOUL. 99. Map of the Japanese Military Operations of 1592, 100 • COREA. of fish and grain for the army, to build ships, to repair their walls,and even to manufacture inide firearms. Yet even the most despondent of the Coreans never dreamedthat the Japanese, on theu first arrival, would sweep everythingbefore them hke a whirlwind, and enter the capital within eighteendays after then- landing at Fusan. One of the first castles gaiTi-soned and provisioned was that of Tong-nai, near Fusan. Onthe morning of May 25, 1592, the sentinels on the coast descriedthe Japanese fleet of eight hundred ships, containing the di%dsiou ofKonishi. Before night the invaders had disembarked, capturedFusan, and laid siege to Tong-nai Castle, which at once surren-dered. So sudden was the attack that the governor of the district,then in the city, was unable to escape. Konishi, A\Titing a lette
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