[KS] A special exhibition in Seoul

[Brother Anthony]

This week sees the opening of an exhibition in the Seoul Museum of History about the house called "Dilkusha" that stands (in a very dilapidated state) on the hill to the west of the Sajik Shrine, just outside Seoul city wall, near an ancient gingko tree. http://eng.museum.seoul.kr/eng/board/NR_boardView.do?bbsCd=1042&seq=20181113092706048&q_exhCd=all  Built in 1923 by Albert and Mary Taylor, it also served as home for a short while to the Grigsby family from Britain and the Boydell family from Australia. My home page offers very much information about these families, as well as the family history of the actress Mary 'Linley' Taylor (born Hilda Mouat Biggs). http://anthony.sogang.ac.kr/GrigsbyPreface.htm In those days the house was surrounded by a beautiful garden. Now it is submerged in a sea of towering 'villas' and the exhibition is centered on the family relics donated by the Taylors' granddaughter, Jennifer, who will be present for the opening. 

While she lived in Dilkusha in 1929-1930 Joan Grigsby copied out and rewrote many of the poems which James Gale had included in his 'History' (printed in the 'Korean Mission Field' monthly) as well as other 'gisaeng' poems translated by Jessie Mclaren. All these poems were later published in Kobe as "The Orchid Door" in 1935, the first volume of English translations of Korean verse ever to be published, although Joan knew no Korean. The Kobe publication was made possible by the artist Lillian May Miller. This intersection of all these various lives serves to make Dilkusha a fascinating place of memory.

Brother Anthony
President, RAS Korea