Cho Sik

Cho Sik (1501 to 1572), whose art name was Nammyeong, was a Korean Neo-Confucian philosopher, poet and politician of the Joseon period. Born in Gyeongsang Province, he failed the civil service examination at the late age of 37 and afterwards lived as a hermit, devoting himself to scholarly research and to teaching disciples. Although he was repeatedly recommended for government posts he declined every offer, and he instead submitted petitions that attacked the abuses and corruption that followed from the political maneuvering of the king's relatives and demanded reform. His disciples formed the Nammyeong School, which became the core of the Northern faction in the reign of King Gwanghaegun and tried to apply his stress on practical learning to real politics. He is regarded, with Yi Hwang, as one of the two pillars of Joseon Neo-Confucianism in the southern province.