《史记·十二本纪·五帝本纪》
这二十二人个个成就功业：皋陶担任大理，掌管刑法，断案平正，人们都信服他实事求是；伯夷主持礼仪，上上下下能都够谦恭礼让；垂担任工师，主管百工，百工都能做好自己的工作；益担任虞，主管山泽，山林湖泽都得到开发；弃担任稷，主管农业，百谷按季节茂盛成长；契担任司徒，主管教化，百姓亲密和睦；龙主管接待宾客，远方的部族前来归附；舜所置十二州牧做事，禹所定九州内的民众没有谁违抗。其中禹的功劳最大，开通了九座大山，疏通了九处湖泽，治理了九条河流，划定了九州方界，各地都按照应缴纳的贡物前来进贡，没有违反规定的。
此二十二人咸成厥功：皋陶为大理，平，民各伏得其实；伯夷主礼，上下咸让；垂主工师，百工致功；益主虞，山泽辟；弃主稷，百谷时茂；契主司徒，百姓亲和；龙主宾客，远人至；十二牧行而九州莫敢辟违；唯禹之功为大，披九山，通九泽，决九河，定九州，各以其职来贡，不失厥宜。
Each of the twenty-two people achieved success: Gaoyao took charge of justice as the Grand Master of Justice; his judgments were just and fair, and the people were convinced by how he sought truth from facts; Boyi was in charge of ritual; from top to bottom, everyone was able to act in a humble and courteous way; Chui took charge of artisans and supervised the artisans; the artisans all did their jobs well; Yi took charge of mountains and marshes and managed forests, lakes and marshes; Qi took charge of agriculture and managed the grains; all the cereal crops flourished according to the seasons; Xie took charge of education and managed the pacification of the people; the people lived together in harmony and peace; Long took charge of receiving guests, and distant tribes came to submit to him; the twelve governors who were appointed by Shun did their jobs, and the people in the nine provinces who were appointed by Yu did not disobey. Of these, Yu contributed the most. He cleared nine mountains, dredged nine lakes, controlled nine rivers, marked the boundaries of the nine provinces, and everywhere people came to pay tribute according to what they should pay, and they did not violate the rules.