《论衡·卷十八·自然篇》
曹参任丞相，好像没有担任丞相一样；汲黯当太守，好像淮阳郡没有这个人一样，即使这样，汉朝没有发生什么事变，淮阳废弃刑罚不用，是因为曹参的道德好而汲黯的威望高的缘故。
夫曹参为相若不为相，汲黯为太守若郡无人。然而汉朝无事，淮阳刑错者，参德优而黯威重也。
Cao Can served as prime minister, as if he had not served as prime minister; Ji An was the prefect, as if there was no such person in Huaiyang County. Even so, nothing happened in the Han Dynasty. Huaiyang abolished the use of punishment, because of Cao Can's good morals and Ji An's high prestige.