《资治通鉴·隋纪·隋纪六》
炀帝对自己的才学非常自负，他往往看不起天崐下的文士，他曾对侍臣说： 天下人都认为我继承先帝的遗业才君临天下，其实就是让我和士大夫比才学，我也该作天子。 
帝自负才学，每骄天下之士，尝谓侍臣曰： 天下皆谓朕承藉绪馀而有四海，设令朕与士大夫高选，亦当为天子矣。 
Emperor Yang was very arrogant about his own talent, he often looked down upon scholars in the world, he once said to his attendant: People in the world believed that I became emperor because I inherited the legacy of the former emperor, in fact, even if I were to compare my talent with scholars, I should still be considered an emperor.