Chong Chol

Chong Ch’ol was born in Seoul, Korea, into a distinguished family. He was raised among the elite families of the royal court and often played with the Crown Prince (later to become King Myongjong). Among the classic masters of sijo, Chong Ch’ol and Yun Sondo are usually ranked first and second in importance. Yun is thought by many to have been the better writer of sijo, but Chong the overall master in poetic skills and artistic imagination. He became the first Korean poet to provide for posterity a considerable body of work: at least 107 sijo are known, many of them dealing with his central themes of love of king and love of country. He was evidently a brilliant but stubborn man, often embroiled in political controversies. He spent much of his life alternating between distinguished government service, exile, and retirement—both voluntary and involuntary. Among the positions he held were personal secretary to King Sonjo, second prime minister, general of the army, ambassador to China, royal inspector, and Magistrate of Kang'won Province. His poems are characterized by spare, elegant expression; density of meaning; the startling phrase; and the crisp use of irony—elements which have become so much a part of sijo tradition. His pen name was Songgang ("Pine River").