《汉书·传·匈奴传下》
当初的时候，北部边境从宣帝以来，几代没有见过烽火，没经过战事，百姓人口旺盛，牛马遍野，等到王莽搅动了匈奴，与匈奴结仇，边境上的人民或死亡、或被掳走；再加上王莽征集的十二部兵马长久驻扎在这裹，而不出击，将士疲惫，几年之间，北部边境就空了，原野上可见到暴露的白骨。
初，北边自宣帝以来，数世不见烟火之警，人民炽盛，牛马布野。及莽挠乱匈奴，与之构难，边民死亡系获，又十二部兵久屯而不出，吏士罢弊，数年之间，北边虚空，野有暴骨矣。
As for the border regions in the north, since the time of Emperor Xuan, the people had not seen the flames of war for several generations. The population had flourished, and there were cattle and horses everywhere. But when Wang Mang stirred up the Xiongnu and provoked their enmity, the people in the border regions were either killed or taken prisoner. This, combined with the long-term presence of Wang Mang's troops from the Twelve Bureaus, who remained garrisoned but did not sortie out, exhausted the soldiers and wore down the people. Within a few years, the northern border regions were emptied, and the wilderness was strewn with exposed bones.