Seven Wonders of Corea.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6046, 11 September 1894, Page 3

Seven Wonders of Corea.

Corea is of more interest just now to the diplomatist than to the scientist, but if we could trust a statement in a Chinese paper, and quoted by one of our northern contemporaries, we should conclude that this benighted peninsula possesses " seven wonders " which entirely overshadow the marvels of the western world. First of all there is, according to our veracious authority, a hot mineral spring near Kin Sliantoa, the healing properties of which are believed by the people to be miraculous. No matter what disease may afflict the patient, a dip in the water at once proves efficacious. The second wonder is two springs which are situated at opposite sides of the peninsula, which have two peculiarities. When one is full the other is always empty ; in one the water is of the bitterest, while in the other it is pure and sweet. The third wonder is a cold wave cave, a cavern from which a wintry wind perpetually blows The force of the wind from the cave is such that a strong man cannot stand before it. A forest that ca«inot be eradicated is the fourth wonder. No matter what injury is done to the roots of the trees, which .ire lame pine?, they will sprout up asain directly, like the I'hcenix from hci ashes. Hie fifth is the most wonderful c>: dl. It is the "floating stone." It sirti'dir, or seems to stand, in front of the ; .lace erected in its honor. It is an imvr.ilar cube of great bulk. It appears be resting on the ground free from .-u-port on all sides; and, strange to -iy, two men at the opposite ends of a rope may pass in under the stone without encountering any obstacle whatever. The sixth wonder is the "hot stone," which from remote ages has lain slowins with boat on the top of a higt hill. The seventh and last Corean wonder is a drop of sweat of Buddha. For thirty paces round a large temple in which it is enshrined not a blade of grass will grow. There are no trees or flowers inside the sacred square. Even the animals decline to profane a ppo": bo holy.