The destructive influence of ancestor worship far outweighs its
benefits. It is a ruthless and voracious land-grabber; the best
of the hills are for the dead. The living may go to Jericho,
or may huddle together down in the malarial flats, while the
ancestral shade rests in the high places on the hill. The
exhilarating surroundings of the trees and green sod are for the
dead, the living are left to the dust and heat and smells of the
market-place.
Ancestral piety forbids the digging of the hills for gold or
silver or any other treasure. What are the living and what
is yellow gold compared with the sweet repose of my father’s
ghost? Away with all sordid visions and leave the hills in
peace!--JAMES S. GALE, “Korea in Transition.”
(89)