정철 鄭澈
Mid-Joseon civil official and poet regarded as a master of gasa poetry
| Life | 1536 ~ 1594 |
| Era | 조선 |
| Clan | 연일 정씨 |
Life & career
Jeong Cheol (鄭澈, 1536-1594) was a civil official and poet of the mid-Joseon period, with the courtesy name Gyeham (季涵) and the art name Songgang (松江). His clan lineage was Yeonil.
He placed first in the higher civil service examination during King Myeongjong's reign and served as Governor of Gangwon Province and Left State Councillor. As a leader of the Westerners (Seoin) faction, he handled the Gichuk Oksa (literary purge), and experienced ups and downs, including exile, over incidents such as the Geonjeo-ui affair.
A master of gasa poetry, he left works such as "Gwandong Byeolgok," "Samiingok," "Songmiingok," "Seongsan Byeolgok," and the Hunmin-ga. His literary collections Songgang Jip and Songgang Gasa survive.
Grave
Munbaek-myeon, Jincheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do (reinterred in 1665)