Page 284 →Page 285 →Glossary
Chang: Jang, traditional Korean cabinet.
Chautauqua: Chautauqua was a popular movement in the United States that drew large numbers who gathered for summer session to worship, study, and enjoy. First founded by Methodists in 1874 on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in New York State, the “Chautauqua Assembly” educated Sunday school teachers and held public lectures, revivals, and cultural and musical performances. The outdoor format spread to other locations and independent Chautauquas as well as “circuit” Chautauquas that took root around the country. Lakeside Chautauqua on the shores of Lake Erie in northwest Ohio was most probably the Frey family’s destination as she refers to Lakeside and Chautauqua alternatively throughout her letters.
Chemulpo: Jemulpo, port on Western coast of Korea opened in 1883, now Incheon.
Chinampo: Nampo, formerly known as Jinnampo, city in North Korea and major seaport southwest of Pyeong Yang.
Chingo-ki/Chingokai: today Chungmu-ro, where the post office was located. This area was also known as “Jap-town,” called Honmachi by the Japanese. The population of Japanese in the area doubled after the Sino-Japanese War, increasing to over 10,000 after the Russo-Japanese War and 34,400 by the time of annexation in 1910.
Chumony: Jumeoni, a small pouch to carry personal belongings fastened with drawstrings.
East Gate: The Baldwin Dispensary and Baldwin Chapel had been established near the East Gate (Dongdaemun) by WFMS in 1892 with funds from Mrs. L. B. Baldwin.
Ewa/Ewha Haktang: The first girls’ school in Korea founded by Mrs. Mary F. Scranton in Jeongdong in 1886. King Gojong bestowed upon the school the name of Ewha Haktang meaning Pear Blossom School. This royal recognition Page 286 →led to more students and greater prestige. Lulu E. Frey became the fourth principal of Ewha in 1907. The college program at Ewha was instituted by Frey in 1910. Today Ewha Womans University is the largest women’s university in the world.
Fusan: Contemporary spelling for the port city of Busan.
Geun-san/Gensan: Japanese spelling for Wonsan.
Haktang/Hakdang: Hakdang for school in the Joseon period.
Jinrikisha: Japanese word for two- or three-wheeled rickshaws popular as mode of transport until the 1920s when they were replaced by trams and private cars. Frey purchased an ornamental tortoise-shell jinrikisha to send home during her first summer in Japan and mentions it in several letters hoping it reaches her family safely.
Kimtchie/Kimchie: Kimchi, Korean fermented cabbage side-dish staple to Korean cuisine now popular around the world. Students often took part in the annual kimchi making that took place in late fall. Frey refers to this as Kimtchie making season or even Kimtchie vacation.
Kong Ju: Gongju, city in South Chungcheong Province.
Kugyung/Kooguen: Gugyeong, for “enjoying the sight.”
Nambowie: Nambawi, traditional Korean hat.
Ping An/Pyeng Yang: Contemporary spelling for Pyeong Yang.
Pongee: A popular Chinese silk textile made from weaving yarns with different thicknesses resulting in a slubbed texture. Pongee was an important export to America in the period. Frey refers to the pongee as an item of clothing made by tailors in Korea, and the word may refer to a casual shirt or dress made from the material.
Shirt: Short for “shirtwaist,” often used by Frey to denote a woman’s tailored blouse, buttoned down the front. Often made in the same fabric with a matching skirt to create a complete outfit or dress.
Tai Ku: Daegu, southern city in Gyeongsang Province.
Tiffin: Word originating from the British Raj to denote a teatime snack or meal. The word is still used in parts of India and Pakistan to refer to snacks between meals or a packed lunch or snack.
Page 287 →Tong Hak: Donghak (literally meaning Eastern Learning), a neo-Confucian movement and religion (Cheondoism) founded by Choe Je-u (1824–64) that was an amalgamation of diverse religious ideas and philosophies opposed to Western and foreign influence, but committed to the ideal of human equality. The Donghak Peasant Revolution (1894–95) was a rebellion that prompted the king’s plea for assistance from Chinese troops, leading to the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War (1894–95). Impoverished peasants supported Donghak, and Frey refers to those who took part in the uprising as the Tong Haks.
Whangma: Hwangma, natural linen made from jute.
Won San: Wonsan, northern port city in Hamgyeong Province on the East Sea, now part of Gangwon Province, North Korea.
Yeng Byen: Yeongbyeon/(N)yongbyon in North Pyeongan Province, North Korea.