Poet and scholar of Korean literature; a poet of the Cheongnokpa (Blue Deer School)
| Life | 1920 ~ 1968 |
| Era | 근현대 |
| Clan | 한양 조씨 |
His given name was Jo Dong-tak (趙東卓), and his art name was Jihun. He was born into a Hanyang Jo clan family in Yeongyang, Gyeongsangbuk-do. In 1939 he made his literary debut when his poems such as "Gopung Uisang" and "Seungmu" (The Monk's Dance) were recommended in the journal Munjang.
Along with Park Mok-wol and Park Du-jin, he was active as a poet of the "Cheongnokpa" (Blue Deer School), which sang of nature, and in 1946 they published the joint poetry collection Cheongnokjip. In representative works such as "Seungmu" and "Nakhwa" (Falling Blossoms), he gave profound form to tradition and Buddhist sensibility.
While serving as a professor at Korea University, he led the Institute of Korean Culture, and left a great mark in Korean literature studies and in essays and criticism such as "Jijoron" (On Integrity). He passed away in 1968.