《明史·志·卷三十七》
武舞称《平定天下之舞》，象征用武功平定祸乱；文舞称《车书会同之舞》，象征以文德达到太平；各地夷人舞称《抚安四夷之舞》，象征用威严德泽宾服远方之人。
武舞曰《平定天下之舞》，象以武功定祸乱也；文舞曰《车书会同之舞》，象以文德致太平也；四夷舞曰《抚安四夷之舞》，象以威德服远人也。
The martial dance named “The Dance of Pacifying the World” symbolized using force to suppress chaos and disorder; the civil dance named “The Dance of the Gathering of Civilization” symbolized using virtue to achieve peace and tranquility; the dances performed by ethnic minorities were named “The Dance of Appeasing Four Outsiders,” which symbolized using both power and kindness to subdue people from far away.