天子於其君之朝也，揖而進之，曰：「意朕之政教有不得者與？
何其所臨之民，有飢寒不得衣食者，有獄訟而失職者，有賢才而不舉者也？
」其君歸也，乃召其國大夫告用天子之言，百姓聞之，皆喜曰：「此誠天子也，何居之深遠，而見我之明也！
The Twelve Shepherds28 went, together with three others, to make a survey of the people in distant regions.
豈可欺哉！
」故牧者，所以辟四門，明四目，達四聰也。
When they saw people suffering from want of food and clothing, people who had lost their positions owing to lawsuits, and people who, though worthy, had not been raised to office, they reported these circumstances to the Son of Heaven. When the Son of Heaven held audiences with the rulers of those regions, he bowed and had them come before him, saying, “Am I to assume that our teachings and decrees are in some manner unsatisfactory?
是以近者視之，遠者安之。
詩曰：「柔遠能邇，以定我王。
」此之謂矣。
How is it that among your subjects there are some who lack food and clothing, some who have lost their positions owing to lawsuits, and some who, though worthy, have not been raised to office?” When the rulers returned to their states, they summoned their court officers and related to them what the Son of Heaven had said.
14 (“Mingtang wei”) has 「昔者，周公朝諸侯於明堂之位，天子負斧衣南鄉而立。
偃兵，執干戚而舞之。
When the common people heard this, they were delighted and said, “This man is a true Son of Heaven. How can he live so far away yet perceive our situations so clearly?
」 Zheng Xuan adds a note: 「天子，周公也。
」 “Mingtangwei” also has 「周公踐天子之位以治天下。
」Documents 27 “Dagao” (Zhoushu 7),has 「王若曰」, to which Zheng Xuan says 「王謂攝也」, indicating that Zhou-gongassumed the royal title. Yiwen leiju 6 quoting Shizi has 「 昔者，武王崩，成王少，周公旦踐東宮，履乘石，祀明堂，假為天子七年。」
He is one who cannot be deceived!” Thus, the Twelve Shepherds were the means by which the four gates were flung open and the ruler’s vision and hearing were extended in all directions.