《资治通鉴·唐纪·唐纪六十五》
唐宣宗说： 朕以天下各州刺史大多用非其人，成为百姓的蠹害，所以想一一召见，当面询问他们上任后的施政方略，以知道他们的优劣，便于对他们进行升降黜陟。
上曰： 朕以刺史多非其人，为百姓害，故欲一一见之，访问其所施设，知其优劣以行黜陟。
Emperor Xuānzong of Tang said: "I thought that most of the governors throughout the empire were not fit for their positions and had become scourges to the common people, so I wanted to summon them one by one, and ask them in person about their plans for governing so that I could understand their strengths and weaknesses to promote or dismiss them accordingly.”