three principles and five virtues (idiom) / the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 / and fidelity 信)
舍生取义
shě shēng qǔ yì
to give up life for righteousness (idiom, from Mencius) / to choose honor over life / would rather sacrifice one's life than one's principles
义正辞严
yì zhèng cí yán
(idiom) to speak forcibly out of a sense of righteousness
道高一尺，魔高一丈
dào gāo yī chǐ , mó gāo yī zhàng
(idiom) as one climbs higher on the path of righteousness, one faces ever greater challenges from evil / no sooner does one overcome one obstacle than another arises
重利轻义
zhòng lì qīng yì
to value material gain over righteousness
重义轻利
zhòng yì qīng lì
to value righteousness rather than material gain (idiom)
yì