Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn
Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn | |
| Born | 857 |
| Died | unknown |
| Occupation(s) | Philosopher, poet |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 최치원 |
| Hanja | 崔致遠 |
| RR | Choe Chiwon |
| MR | Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 해운, 고운 |
| Hanja | 海雲, 孤雲 |
| RR | Haeun, Goun |
| MR | Haeun, Koun |
Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn (IPA: [tɕʰø tɕʰiwʌn]; Korean: 최치원; Hanja: 崔致遠; 857–10th century) was a Korean philosopher and poet of the late medieval Unified Silla period (668-935). He studied for many years in Tang China, passed the Tang imperial examination, and rose to the high office there before returning to Silla, where he made ultimately futile attempts to reform the governmental apparatus of a declining Silla state.
In his final years, Ch'oe turned more towards Buddhism and became a hermit scholar residing in and around Korea's Haeinsa temple.
Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn was also known by the literary names Haeun (IPA: [hɛːun]; Korean: 해운; Hanja: 海雲; lit. "Sea Cloud"), or, more commonly, Koun (IPA: [ko.un]; Korean: 고운; Hanja: 孤雲; lit. "Lonely Cloud"). He is recognized today as the progenitor of the Gyeongju Ch'oe clan.