Isabella Bird's Korean Passport

[剣、ビールおよび女の子]

I need some help.

For an exhibition at my work, I will be displaying what is generally assumed to be the Korean passport of Isabella Bird Bishop - the famous Victorian woman explorer and author of Korea and her Neighbours, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, etc etc.

I don't read Korean or Japanese at all - so I need to check that it is indeed a Korean 19th century passport (and not, for example a laundry bill) - and also check what the general gist of the inscription is.

If anyone out there in the KW community would like to have a quick look and let me know - the link is as follows:
http://www.nls.uk/jma/projects/74470456.jpg

Thanks to anyone that can help

For those of you unfamiliar with Isabella Bird - she is worth reading. She was one of the first Europeans to describe and photograph a lot of rural Japan, Korea, China and Central Asia

[nysamurai]

Personally, I can't help. But if all else fails, perhaps you can locate a kumdo, tae kwon do, or hapkido dojang near you. Perhaps there is a Korean Consulate nearby? Indeed, you might walk into a Korean laundry or restaurant and have a native Korean take a look at it for you. Just some ideas. Maybe someone on the KW Forum will be able to help. Good luck.

[Kyung]

I saw 朝鮮 in there which means Joseon....but everything else is advanced hanja for me. I also saw the hanja for U.S.A off to the right side.

[j.noh]

Kyung obviously knows way more Chinese characters than I do. As there is no Hangul on the whole thing I can't help you. Maybe one of the Chinese members can help you out more?

[xvikingx]

The only things I am able to decipher on that is "Chosen (Korea)", "Great Britain", and "woman". It is dated March but I have no idea what the year is, as the counter is totally foreign to me.
You would be better off asking an older Korean person. I would assume the most qualified person for this on KWF would be Mingshi.

*I saw no mention of the United States in there

[剣、ビールおよび女の子]

Personally, I can't help. But if all else fails, perhaps you can locate a kumdo, tae kwon do, or hapkido dojang near you. Perhaps there is a Korean Consulate nearby? Indeed, you might walk into a Korean laundry or restaurant and have a native Korean take a look at it for you. Just some ideas. Maybe someone on the KW Forum will be able to help. Good luck.


Thanks to all who have tried to help so far - unfortunately there is a wee bit of a difference in the demographic up here in Scotland - not sure if there is a Korean consulate inthe country - let alone a laundry. I will keep trying

cheers

[crabbi]

You might want to try the Glasgow University Korean Society at http://www.gla.ac.uk/clubs/korea/

They also appear to have links to Korea University in Seoul ( http://www.gla.ac.uk:443/studying/exchange/internationalinfo.cfm?country=Korea ) so that might be an avenue you could explore...

For other options go to Google and enter 'Korean Glasgow'...

Also, through the magic of the Google Japanese to English translation tool, you may be interested to know that your forum name is 'Girl of sword, beer and'... hmmm...

[crabbi]

...also http://www.glasgowdining.co.uk/review.php?rid=120
http://www.dojang.com/school.html
http://www.dcs.qmul.ac.uk/~youjinchang/
http://www.lib.duke.edu/ias/eac/korea/pages/lib/lib.html
http://www.u21global.com/Education/home
...also Korean Airlines fly to Glasgow... must be some ground staff / management there...

[kendomusha]

It's a Chinese passport that was issued in the Korea territory, which was called chooseon at the time. Korea was still part of China during the Qing Dynasty. The passport was issued in 1894, during the period of China's second to last emperor.

[mingshi]

This little piece of paper is brilliant!!

It was indeed a passport/visa issued in 1894 (Emperor Guangxu, Year 20th - also same year as the First Sino-Japanese War) and valid for 6 months.

It seems to belong to a Shandong Merchant named Wong Wei-xin, who accompanied Lady Bishop for some travel on the ground. The place is mentioned but I'm not sure where it is now...

The paper was issued by an Zhejiang-prefecture Custom Officer stationed in Joseon for diplomatic purposes (or work at the embassy) - not Korean tho.

I can read all the characters except the "ancient typeface" in the red chops. Not sure if I can translate everything there to a museum standard tho. My knowledge of Chinese History is limited and for Korean History, it is non-existence... But anyway, hope this helps!

[剣、ビールおよび女の子]

Mingshi

Thanks - you are a star.

You'll have to come and see the exhibition sometime - I'll buy you dinner

We have a load of isabella Bird's letters, photos etc in the Library - they are something else

[sam.i.am]

It's a Chinese passport that was issued in the Korea territory, which was called chooseon at the time. Korea was still part of China during the Qing Dynasty. The passport was issued in 1894, during the period of China's second to last emperor.

Not to nitpick but this is the first I heard of Choson/Joseon Dynasty being a Qing territory. Granted until the end of Sino-Japanese War, Choson was a tributary state (client-patron relationship which was certainly not equal) first to the Ming and later to Qing (a Manchu dynasty to be specific), but to lay a whole claim as a Chinese territory? Wow... I'm speechless.

[kendomusha]

Not to nitpick but this is the first I heard of Choson/Joseon Dynasty being a Qing territory. Granted until the end of Sino-Japanese War, Choson was a tributary state (client-patron relationship which was certainly not equal) first to the Ming and later to Qing (a Manchu dynasty to be specific), but to lay a whole claim as a Chinese territory? Wow... I'm speechless.

Sorry I misstated the inaccuracy. I wasn't quite sure what their relationship was at that time.

[Kaoru]

I'm sad now... I REALLY
want to see your exhibit! :( I never heard of her before until you posted this. But I can't see it... All because I live across the pond!

Can you take pics and post them here maybe?

Kaoru