1001Philosophers

Yi I (Yulgok) Quotes on Virtue

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. This page collects quotes attributed to Yi I (Yulgok) on the topic of virtue, drawn from across the philosopher's works.

Quotes

  • Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):

    “Sincerity is the way of heaven; to make oneself sincere is the way of man.”

  • Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):

    “Reform begins with the cultivation of one's own mind.”

  • Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):

    “Without learning, there is no virtue; without virtue, there is no good government.”

  • Attributed to Yi I (Yulgok):

    “The duty of the scholar is to be of use to the world.”