조지훈 시인의 영문 연보 / Bio. of Poet Cho Ji -hoon in English

[曉泉]

Cho Ji-hoon (1920–1968) is a poet, scholar, critic(controversialist), and activist. He was born in Yeongyang, Gyeongsangbuk-Do, South Korea. He is one of the great poets Korea has produced and is often referred to as a Cheong-Rok-Pa, a group of three poets named after their joint anthology, Cheong-Rok-Jip (Cheong-Rok means green deer). Cho served as President of the Korean Poets Association in 1967-1968. He was a highly respected scholar and activist who is still remembered as man of conviction and principles acting in conscience. He left his footprint in Korea’s democratic movement especially in the students’ uprising against the dictatorship in early 1960s. His essay titled On Conviction remains one of the steady-sellers in Korean history. He was also the founding director of the Institute of National Cultural Studies at Korea University (1963) and contributed to laying the groundwork for Korean Studies. Cho's birthplace is preserved as cultural heritage and a museum was built in his hometown as a tribute to his contribution to the nation(2007). A memorial also stands on Namsan in Seoul(1972). His complete works were published in 1976 and a new version in 1996.

Additional Bio as fallows;

He was born as the second son of Cho Heon-Young in Ilwol-myeon, Yeongyang, Gyeongsangbuk-Do, South Korea during the period of Japanese rule.

 His father was a  independence activist when he served as a president of students studying  in Tokyo. At that time Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. He studied English Literature at Waseda University in Japan and graduated from there.

After liberation, he was elected  in a Yeongyang district as two term lawmaker as a constituent Assembly legislator till he kidnapped by North Korean regime during Korean war in 1950. 

Nevertheless His grandfather hindered  let him (Cho Ji-hoon) receive  formal schooling under Japanese rule, He taught him at home. So, unbeknownst to him, he studied  by himself and he passed  the National Qualification Exam for High School Graduation and he entered Heyhwa collage then graduated from there with liberal art in 1941.

He made his debut as a poet in 1939 in the literature magazine, the Mun Jang (The Sentence / 3 numbers) with his poem as "The old traditional garment ."  He did't write or  published his poems in Japanese and sequestered himself from the world , he stayed at a buddhist temple as a lecturer  for young buddhist monk till the country's liberation in 1945. 

Right after liberation, he worked as a compilation committee of korean textbook in the Han Geul ( Korean Alphabet ) Society(October) and also compilation committee of Korean history textbook in The  Diagnosis Society(November)  in 1945. 

He was a teacher at Kyeong-ki girl's high school (February) . he was a member of central committee of Korean writers Association(March), a  professor at Seoul woman's Collage of Medical Science(September) in 1946.

He was a founding member of The Federation of Cultural Organization(February) and a lecturer at Dong kuk University( April) in 1947.

 He served as a professor of liberal art at Korea University (Oct. 1948 ~ May.1968) in Seoul.

 

He served as a vice president of 'Writers Organization Following the Army' (1950) during Korean War.

After Korean War, He resist a dictatorial government. He fought  for freedom of speech, human rights and democratization of Korea. Also he worked very hard to maintain national culture of Korea that was fading away. For that reason Korean call him a national poet.

He awarded Literature Prize of The Free Writer's Association in 1956.

Also he was a Central Member of 'The  Korean Confederation of Civil  Rights Protection' in 1959.

He was a central member of national committee of clean and fair election in 1959.

Also he was a member of the central committee of Korean Professors Association in 1960.

 

 For the first time as a Korean poet , he attended 'The International Poet's Conference in Knokke, Belgium' as a representative for Korea in 1961.

Also he was a founding member of Korean headquarter for liberty Conference of  International Culture in 1961.

He was a chairperson of Translators for Korean Classic Literature in 1962.

He was a committee member of Propulsion for National Culture in 1967.

 Cho served as President of the Korean Poets Association in 1967

He served as a president of the promotion committee for 'The Sixty's Anniversary of Korean Modern Poetry' in 1967.

He served as a president of the promotion committee for 'The Sixty's Anniversary of Korean Modern Poetry' in 1967.

He passed away because of  bronchiectasia, dawn at 5 :40 Pm on May 17 in 1968. He was buried in the g round of Song- Ra mountain in Ma-Seok-Ri, Yang Ju, Gyeongki-Do. 

                                                                                  ******

A monuments in memory of him inscribed with one of his poems(Rain on Plantain)  stands on Namsan in Seoul(1972)

"Cho Ji-hoon studies" published from Korea University Press in 1978.

President of South Korea bestowed a posthumous medal on Cho, awarded  the Geumgwan (a gold crown) Order for  Cultural Merits, the highest artistic recognition, for him contribution to Korean literature in 1982.

A monuments in memory of him inscribed with one of his poems("The way to find the light") ) stands on his  birthplace in 1982).  now, more then 35 memorials in different places including this.

 Cho's birthplace is preserved as cultural heritage and a museum was built in his hometown as a tribute to his contribution to the nation.

 His complete works were published in 1976 and a new version in 1996.

The Ji-hoon Award was given in 2001. 

His  collection of poem with an autograph has  published in 2001. 

He has been  selected  as this month's(June) of Cultural Figure by Ministry of Culture and  tourism.

Also held it's own festival and ceremony in Yeongyang, Keongsangbuk- Do, and at National Cultural Institute of Korea University in Seoul.

A monument in memory of him inscribed with two of his poems (Seung Mu, "The Dance of Buddhist Nun" and

"We know you guys mind ") stands on campus at Korea University in 2006.

He has received a Proud Man of The Korea University award in 2007.   

The Memorial Hall for him was remodeled and opened at National Cultural Institute of Korea University in Seoul in 2013.

His principal poems are " The Dance of the Buddhist Nun", "Falling Petals,"" Old temple",  "Petals wet sleeves" etc., and his collection of  poems are "Green Deer Anthology(1946),""A note on Grass(1952)," " A Collected Poems of Cho Ji-hoon(1956)," "in the Face of History(1959)", "Lingering effect(1964)".

A collections of essays are " in the Face of History(1959)," Portry and Life(1959),  " Aesthetics of Stone(1964)." 

An essay on poetry "Poertry and Life(1959),

And other important his works are" Principle of Poetry(1953)", " Against The Window(1958)", As a Korean version of "Speaking of Digging Root Out(1959)," " On Conviction(1962)."

And he planed six volumes of " An Outline of Korean History(1963)," Korean Independence movement History(1963)"  " Planation of Korean Cultural History(1964)." etc.