《左传·桓公·桓公二年》
所以天子建立国家，诸侯建立家庭，卿立下级之卿或大夫，大夫设立下级大夫或 属大夫 ，士以其子弟为隶级，庶人不再分等级而以亲疏为若干等级之别。
故天子建国，诸侯立家，卿置侧室，大夫有贰宗，士有隶子弟，庶人工商各有分亲，皆有等衰。
Therefore, the Son of Heaven establishes a state, the feudal lords establish families, the ministers establish sub-ministers and great officers, the great officers establish sub-great officers and subordinate great officers, and the shi establish their sons as their inferiors. Among the common people, there are no distinctions of rank, only of intimacy and distance.