《元史·列传·卷七十二》
当时由进士入官的仅百分之一，由吏升至地位显要的人常占十分之九。
当时由进士入官者仅百之一，由吏致位显要者常十之九。
At that time, only about one percent of people who passed the Imperial Examination entered official service. Usually, ninety percent of the people who rose to prominent positions came from the ranks of lower officials.