Won Cheon-seok
| Won Cheon-seok | |
| Hangul | 원천석 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Won Cheon-seok |
| McCune–Reischauer | Wŏn Ch'ŏnsŏk |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 운곡 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Ungok |
| McCune–Reischauer | Unkok |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 자정 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Jajeong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chachŏng |
Won Cheon-seok (Korean: 원천석; Hanja: 元天錫, 1330-?), also known by his art name Ungok, was a hermit during the late Goryeo to early Joseon periods.
He is known for being the writer of Heohoga, a song of reminiscence of the past (i.e. Goryeo Dynasty) in Cheong-gu-young-un, a collective edition of Korean traditional poems.
He was born in
Taejong of Joseon Dynasty later. He was summoned several times and even paid a visit by Taejong himself when he took over the throne but Ungok refused to join the Cabinet. He lived in seclusion and remained as a man of integrity for all his life. In his later life he got interested in Taoism as well as Buddhism even though he was a Confucian himself. He suggested the trinity of the three ideas called Sam-gyo-Il-Chi-ron. He wrote Ungoksisa, and edited Hwahaesajeon. Ungoksisa, reflected the society then and his philosophy as well. In the book, he argued the necessity to improve the system rather than replacing the dynasty and went on preaching that local officials should practice panel administration with mercy. Heo Mok, also known by his pen name Misu, once commented on Ungok's life "An honorable man never takes off his interest in the world even though he is hiding from the world".[1][2][3][4]