백천당(百千堂) 오핵(吳翮)은 1615년(광해군 7)에 태어나 1653년(효종 4) 39세의 나이로 조선 중기 병자호란이라는 격동의 시기를 살았던 인물이다. 오핵은 조선 전기 사대가의 한 사람으로 천문 · 지리 · 의술 · 병서 등 각종 학문에 능통했고, 서화와 특히 문장에 뛰어났던 계곡(谿谷) 장유(張維)의 제자로 장유로부터 문장으로 크게 뛰어나다는 칭찬을 받았던 문인이었다. 그러나 현재 학계에 오핵에 대한 학문뿐만 아니라 생애조차 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 오핵은 1633년(인조 11) 19살의 나이로 초시에서 장원을 한 이후 1635년 (인조 13)에도 별시에 장원으로 합격한다. 그러나 과거에 연거푸 장원을 했음에도 벼슬에 나아가지 않고 공부에 열중하였다. 당호 또한 ‘남이 한 번 만에 능하거든 나는 백 번을 행할 것이며, 남이 열 번 만에 능하거든 나는 천번을 행할 것이다’라는 『중용(中庸)』의 ‘기백기천(己百己千)’을 뜻을 따라 ‘백천당(百千堂)’이라 짓고는『주역』과 『근사록』그리고 역사서 등을 손에서 놓지 않고 공부하였다. 특히 병자호란을 겪으면서 역사에 깊은 관심을 가지고 『자치통감강목』의 형식을 바탕으로 『만세감(萬世鑒)』 4권을 저술하였으나 현재 전하지 않는다. 오핵은1646년(인조24) 장원급제 후병조좌랑, 세자시강원, 사헌부지평, 사간원 등에 여러 차례 들어갔으나 오래 머물지 않고 곧 물러나기를 반복했다. 그가 환로에 머물렀던 8년 동안 받았던 녹봉은 겨우 2과(科)에 불과했었다. 그의 시는 대부분 기유시(紀遊詩)와 경물시(景物詩)가 주를이루는데 이는 그의 삶과 무관하지 않다. 현재 전하는 그의 문집 『백천당유고』에 전하는 그의 시문의 양은 많지가 않다. 현재 전하는 그의 시는 오핵이 서른이 되어서 쓴 작품부터 수록되어 총 90제 94수가 전할 뿐이다. 그리고 그의 산문으로는 묘지명 1편, 발문 1편, 기문2편, 제문1편, 변설2편, 의주문1편, 부3편, 대책문1편이전할뿐이다. 적은 수의 시와 산문이지만, 이 시문을 통해 보면 당시 오핵이 제자백가와 『장자』에 심취했던 모습도 확인할 수 있다. 이는 당시 조선의 17세기 문단의 단면을 보여주는 것이라 할 수 있다.
Baekcheondang Oh Haek was born in 1615 (the 7th year of King Gwanghae-gun`s reign) and lived to 1653 (the 4th year of King Hyojong`s reign) including the turbulent time of Byeongjahoran (the Manchu War of 1636) in the middle of the Joseon Dynasty. Oh Haek was a member of Four Great Poets in the early part of the Joseon Dynasty and was well-educated in all academic fields, including, astronomy, geography, medicine, military science and so forth, and as a pupil of Gyegok Jang Yoo who was particular excellent in calligraphy and writing that he was a literature man with high praises. However, there is almost no information available on Oh Haek for his academic accomplishment or even on his life within the current academic circle. Oh Haek won the first place to pass the higher civil service examination (Chosi) at the age of 19 in 1633 (the 11th year of King Injo`s reign) and won the first place to pass the special national examination (Byeolsi) in 1635 (the 13th year of King Injo`s reign). Nonetheless, even though he won the first place in two national examinations, he focused on his studies without working in the government. He had his Dangho (name of his residence) of `Baekcheondang` following the meaning of `Gibaekgicheon` that means `If others can do it at once, I will practice hundred times, and if others can do it in ten, I will practice a thousand times` that came from 『Jung-yong (moderation)』 and then he studies 『Zhou-Yi』, 『Jinsilu』 and other history publications at all times. In particular, after going through Byeongjahoran (the Manchu War of 1636), de developed profound interests in history to write Mansegam on the basis of the type of 『Jachitonggamgangmok』 but it is not handed down to the present time. After passing the national examination as the top of his class in 1646 (the 24th year of King Injo`s reign), Oh Haek served for the government a few times as Jwarang of Byeongjo (Ministry of Defense), Sejasigangwon (teaching institute for the prince), Jipyeong of Saheonbu (Ministry of Justice), Saganwon and others, but he did not stay on very long and resigned from each post. While working 8 years in the government, his salary base was mere second grade. His poems were mainly on Giyu poems and Gyeongmul poems and this tendency was closely related to his life. His collection of writings in 『Baekcheondang Yugo (Final Script of Baekcheondang)』 that was handed down to the present time does not contain significant volume of poems and literature works. His poems handed down today are started with the works written by Oh Haek at the age of thirty to have a total of 90 Je (題) and 94 Su (首) only. And, for his essays, there are only one tomb name, 1 presentation, 2 essays, 1 ritual writing, 2 speech writings, 1 ceremonial writing, 3 annex writings, and 1 responsive writing. He left a small number of poems and essays but, looking through his poems and literature works, it is partially shown that Oh Haek was fully emerged into Hundred Schools of Thought and 『Zhuang-zi』. This is demonstrating the section of the 17th century literature of the Joseon Dynasty of the time.