Yu Yi was generous to many and loved to help people elevate their statuses, although he despised those who were outwardly pretentious. He was close friends with Huan Wen, who he swore a pact of friendship with and was once recommended by Yu Yi to Emperor Cheng to be trusted with more power. However, Yu Yi disliked the likes of Yin Hao and Du Yi (杜乂), who he believed were only useful in times of peace. Yu Yi did try to employ Yin Hao a number of times, however, but Yin refused to accept his offers and remained a hermit.(庾翼為人慷慨，喜功名，不尚浮華。琅邪內史桓溫，彝之子也，尚南康公主，豪爽有風概。翼與之友善，相期以寧濟海內。翼嘗薦溫於成帝曰：「桓溫有英雄之才，願陛下勿以常人遇之，常婿畜之。宜委以方、邵之任，必有弘濟艱難之勳」。時杜乂、殷浩並才名冠世，冀獨弗之重也，曰：「此輩宜束之高閣，俟天下太平，然後徐議其任耳。」... 翼請浩為司馬；詔除侍中、安西軍司，浩不應。翼遺浩書曰：「王夷甫立名非真，雖雲談道，實長華競。明德君子，遇會處際，寧可然乎！」浩猶不起。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 97 Yu Yi also hated Yin Hao's father, Yin Xian (殷羨), who was the Chancellor of Changsha, due to his corruption and cruelty. In 343, he wrote a letter to his brother, Yu Bing, demanding that he demote Yin Xian.(殷羨為長沙相，在郡貪殘，庾冰與翼書屬之。翼報曰：「殷君驕豪，亦似由有佳兒，弟故小令物情容之。大較江東之政，以嫗煦豪強，常為民蠹；時有行法，輒施之寒劣。如往年偷石頭倉米一百萬斛，皆是豪將輩，而直殺倉督監以塞責。山遐為餘姚長，為官出豪強所藏二千戶，而眾共驅之，令遐不得安席。雖皆前宰之惛謬，江東事去，實此之由。兄弟不幸，橫陷此中，自不能拔足於風塵之外，當共明目而治之。荊州所統二十餘郡，唯長沙最惡；惡而不黜，與殺督監者復何異邪！」遐，簡之子也。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 97
