说苑/河閒獻王曰：「堯存心於天下，加志於窮民，痛萬姓之罹罪，憂眾生之不遂也。

When a single one of the people suffered from want of food, he would say, ‘I am the cause of that man’s hunger.’ When a single one of the people was cold, he would say, ‘I am the one who has exposed that man to cold.’ When a single one of the people was punished for an offense, he would say, ‘I am the cause of that man’s entrapment.’ “His humanity shone forth and his righteous deeds were known; his virtue was extensive and his transforming influence vast; hence, the people exerted themselves without the offer of reward, and good order existed among them though no punishments were applied.

Only after pondering the plight of others did he presume to teach them.

This was the Way of Yao.