He showed the greatest respect for men of learning, and appealed to people's sense of integrity, and in this way won the support of many Confucian scholars of his day.
武帝以降，天運循環、漢德已衰的聲音四起，太學出身的王莽藉著外戚身份，禮賢下士、以德業感召各方，得到許多儒生支持。