《汉书·传·魏相丙吉传》
我私下裹怀着尊敬的心情观看以前的记载，了解到先皇帝是多么圣明仁义，恩德深厚。先皇帝为治理好天下辛勤劳苦，关心百姓，为水旱灾祸而忧虑，对贫穷、饥饿的百姓开仓发放赈济粮；派遣任谏职的大夫、博士巡行天下，观察风俗的好坏，选择举荐贤良人士，平反冤案，办这些事的官员来来往往，不绝于路途。节省诸项用度，减轻租赋，开放山林湖泽让百姓渔猎，禁止用粮食喂马、用粮食酿酒和私人屯积居奇：所有这些都是为了周济困乏的人，安抚百姓，便利百姓的方法十分完备。
窃伏观先帝圣德仁恩之厚，勤劳天下，垂意黎庶，忧水旱之灾，为民贫穷发仓廪，赈乏餧；遣谏大夫博士巡行天下，察风俗，举贤良，平冤狱，冠盖交道；省诸用，宽租赋，弛山泽波池，禁秣马酤酒贮积，所以周急继困，慰安元元，便利百姓之道甚备。
I have privately studied the previous records with respect, learning how enlightened and righteous the previous emperors were and how far their kindness and virtue reached. The previous emperors worked tirelessly to govern the world well. They cared about the people and were concerned with droughts and floods. They opened granaries to relieve the poor and the starving. They sent officials of the rank of Counsellor or Doctor who were responsible for offering advice to tour the world to observe the good and bad trends of society and to select and recommend worthy people. They corrected injustices, and the officials who handled these matters were constantly traveling back and forth without end. They reduced miscellaneous expenditures, lightened the taxes, and opened up mountains, forests, lakes, and marshes to allow the people to hunt and fish. They forbade feeding horses with grain, brewing wine with grain, and private individuals from hoarding goods. All this was to provide for the needy, appease the people, and facilitate the lives of the people. The methods for doing this were completely comprehensive.