[KS] Re: Reginald Horace Blyth

[Christine Kim]

Hi Professor King:

You probably won't remember me, but we have met -- in the bowels of 
HY Library a couple of years ago.  I'm working on Korea's transition 
from monarchy to republic.

I am attaching a skimpy and tantalizing chronology of Blyth's life; 
you were correct to assume that he as a Brit and somewhat familiar 
with Korea.  I know little about his life myself, but am intrigued by 
his association with Yi Ûn, the "last crown prince."  By 1945, there 
were only two surviving (male) offspring of Kojong: Yi Ûn 
(Yôngch'inwang) and his half-brother Yi Kang, aka Ûich'inwang; there 
was additionally Kojong's daughter, Tôkhye ongju, who was by then 
institutionalized in a pysch ward.

I doubt Ûn was in any position to teach Korean, having lived in Japan 
since the age of nine and barely capable of speaking Korean, if at 
all.  I take it it was Blyth's connection to the Japanese imperial 
household that put him in touch with Yi Ûn, who was most likely 
lending his name to the project.  I will check out the textbook, 
which is held at the New York Public Library; maybe there's a preface 
or something that could shed light.  In the meantime, should you 
receive any responses regarding the Korean grammar book production, 
or the Blyth/Korean royal connection, or re: Blyth's years at Keijo 
Imperial University, I would love to hear from you.

http://www.gardendigest.com/blyth.htm#Biography

Best regards.

Christine Kim
Ph.D. Candidate
History and East Asian Languages

New York


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