Mujong Quotes

“All people were human beings alike; how much richer or nobler could one person be than others? It was like climbing onto a small rock and looking down at other people and saying, "You there, I am above you." How much higher could that person be than others? Someone else, moreover, had stood upon that very rock the day before, and someone else would be there the next day. To feed a cold spoonful of rice to a beggar today was to ask that beggar's descendants to do the same favour to one's own descendants; and likewise, to mistreat and ridicule a beggar today was to ask that beggar's descendants to do the same to one's own decendants.”
― Kwang-su Yi, The Heartless

“This is why we are going overseas to study. Who is giving us the money to take the train, and money for tuition? Korea. Why? So that we can acquire strength, knowledge and civilisation, and bring them back with us. So that we can establish a solid foundation for the people's livelihood, based on modern civilisation. Isn't that why?" Hyong-sik pulled his wallet from his vest pocket, and took out a blue train ticket. "This train ticket contains the sweat of those people who are shivering in the rain, including the young man we saw. They are asking us to make sure that they are never put in such a needy position again.”
― Kwang-su Yi, The Heartless