CHAPTER IX.

A FULL-FLEDGED TOP-KNOT

Like all Korean boys, Yung Pak wore his hair in two braids, and by the time he was twelve years old these had become very long, and hung in black and glossy plaits down his back.

On the day that he was thirteen his father called him to his room and told the lad that the time had come for him to assume the dignities of a man.  In accordance with that statement, he had decided that on the next day his son should be formally “invested” with the top-knot.  In other words, the crown of his head was to be shaven, and his long hair tightly coiled upon the bare place thus made.  This is called the “Investiture of the Top-knot,” and is always attended by solemn ceremonies.

In preparation for this event Ki Pak had made careful and elaborate arrangements.  He had provided for his son new clothes and a hat after the style of his own.  He had also consulted an eminent astrologer, who had chosen the propitious day and hour for the ceremony after due consultation of the calendar and the stars and planets in their courses.

Generally, if the father is blessed with good fortune and a number of sons, he acts as his own master of ceremonies on such an occasion, but as Ki Pak had only this one son he decided to ask his brother, Wu-pom Nai, who had several sons and was a prosperous merchant of Seoul, to fill this important position.

Yung Pak could hardly wait for the morrow to come.  So excited was he at the thought of the great honour that was to be his that he spent almost a sleepless night.  However, like all nights, long or short, this one passed, and the wished-for hour at last arrived.

All the male members of the family were present.  Korean women are reckoned of little importance and take no part in social and family affairs.  On this occasion no men except relatives were asked to attend.

Yung Pak was directed to seat himself on the floor in the centre of the room, facing the east.  This was the point of compass revealed by the astrologer as most favourable to the young candidate for manly honours.

With great deliberation and much formality Wu-pom Nai proceeded to loosen the boy’s heavy plaits of hair.  Then with great care, while the onlookers watched with breathless interest, he shaved the crown of the lad’s head, making a bare circular spot about three inches in diameter.  Over this spot he twisted all the remaining hair into a coil about four inches long, pointing slightly forward like a horn.

Over the top-knot thus made the master of ceremonies placed the mang-kun, which was a crownless skull-cap made of a very delicate stiff gauze.  This was tied on very tightly,—­so tightly that it made a deep ridge in Yung Pak’s forehead and gave him a severe headache; but he bore the pain heroically and without flinching—­for was he not now a man?  The regular Korean man’s hat, with its flapping wings, was next put on, and this part of the ceremony was complete.