《隋书·列传·卷四十》
元善年幼时跟着父亲到江南，他天性好学，于是通读了五经，尤其精通《左传》。
善少随父至江南，性好学，遂通涉五经，尤明《左氏传》。
Yuan Shan traveled to Jiangnan with his father when he was young. Having a natural love for learning, he read the Five Classics in their entirety and excelled at studying the Zuo Commentary.