Yi I (Yulgok) Quotes
Yi I, known by the pen name Yulgok, was a Korean Joseon-dynasty Confucian philosopher, statesman, and reformer, often counted with Yi Hwang as one of the two great Korean Neo-Confucian thinkers. Where Yi Hwang tended to emphasize principle, Yulgok placed greater weight on material force and on the practical task of applying Neo-Confucian thought to government and education. The quotes below are attributed to Yi I (Yulgok), organized by topic.
Yi I (Yulgok) on Knowledge
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Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):
“Without learning, there is no virtue; without virtue, there is no good government.”
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Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):
“The duty of the scholar is to be of use to the world.”
Yi I (Yulgok) on Mind
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Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):
“Reform begins with the cultivation of one's own mind.”
Yi I (Yulgok) on Nature
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Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):
“Principle is universal, but material force is particular.”
Yi I (Yulgok) on Virtue
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Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):
“Sincerity is the way of heaven; to make oneself sincere is the way of man.”