《南史·列传·卷四十三》
高帝虽然做为地方长官，但生活过得很贫困，几个儿子学习写字没有纸笔，萧晔常常用手指画空中或者画手掌学字，于是精于篆法。
高帝虽爲方伯，而居处甚贫，诸子学书无纸笔，晔常以指画空中及画掌学字，遂工篆法。
Emperor Gao, even though he was a local official, lived a poor life. When Xiao Ye and his brothers wanted to learn to write, they did not have paper and pens. Xiao Ye often used his fingers to write in the air or on his palms, which made him proficient in seal script.