We ponder why our lives don’t change even after reading books. Let’s take a look at what proper reading is through the teachings of Yulgok Yi I.
Yulgok Yi I, a representative Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty, emphasized reading to discover the principles contained in books and put them into practice. He emphasized the importance of reading and believed that true reading goes beyond simply reading books, but also putting the contents of books into practice in one’s life. He called the wrong way of reading that deviates from this true reading “reading disease” and presented four types of reading disease and solutions for each.
The first type of reading disorder is simply reading books. This is when you read without thinking deeply, only understanding the superficial meaning of the words and phrases without grasping the deeper meaning hidden in the text. To overcome this, you must deeply examine the right and wrong of the words and phrases and reflect deeply on whether your daily life is in line with the principles in the book.
The second type is a disease of the mind, which is when one reads many books at once. Generally, reading many books is useful because it allows one to connect books and understand their meanings and depth, but if one is too greedy, one’s mind becomes restless and one cannot take the time to savor each book. This problem can be overcome by reading one book thoroughly and understanding its meaning before moving on to another.
The third type is a problem of being detached from books. This is when a person understands the meaning of the sages through reading and expands their knowledge, but is unable to accept it in their heart and mind and put it into practice. This problem can be overcome by cultivating oneself so that the teachings of the sages and one’s own life are in harmony.
The last type is a problem caused by preconceived notions about books, and there are two cases. First, there is a problem caused by fear of books. This is when a person gives up reading because they believe that even a slightly difficult book will be impossible to understand, and so they do not try to read it with all their heart. There is also a disease of being fascinated by strange things. This is when one believes that a book contains transcendental knowledge and becomes impatient to obtain it, but fails to grasp the knowledge contained in the book. These diseases caused by preconceived notions can be overcome by reading carefully, one paragraph at a time, and approaching the meaning step by step.
On the other hand, Yulgok emphasized the basic attitude necessary for proper reading. Before reading, one must sit upright, calm the mind, and treat the book with reverence and respect. This is because when encountering the profound truths contained in books, one cannot read properly if one’s mind is scattered. Furthermore, one should not give up reading just because one has many questions while reading. Even if one devotes one’s whole mind to reading, it is not always possible to understand everything, and sometimes the more one delves into the meaning, the more questions arise. However, it is only by overcoming these obstacles that one can gradually resolve one’s questions and understand the meaning of the text.
Yulgok’s teachings are still valid today. In modern society, we live in a flood of information. Although we can easily access a lot of information through the Internet and various media, it is still important to think about how to select, deeply understand, and put that information into practice. It is also important for modern people to be wary of the reading habits that Yulgok emphasized and to adopt the right attitude toward reading. In order for reading to be more than just the acquisition of knowledge, but a tool for enriching our lives and understanding the world, we need to remember Yulgok’s teachings.
Yulgok also believed that the ultimate purpose of reading was self-cultivation and service to society. This goes beyond the intellectual growth of the individual and aims to lead society in a better direction based on that knowledge. Therefore, reading is not only a tool for personal reflection, but also an important act of fulfilling one’s social responsibility.
In conclusion, Yulgok Lee Yik’s teachings on reading provide many implications for us today. His reading habits, solutions to his problems, and emphasis on the correct attitude toward reading can serve as important guidelines on how to approach and utilize reading in modern society. The way to put Yulgok’s teachings into practice is to enrich our personal lives through reading and create a mature reading culture that can have a positive impact on society.
