In "Shujing" (the Book of History) and "Shijing" of Confucianism scriptures, there are descriptions of 'a person of education and virtue' (a story of the Mao clan in "Shujing") or 'a person who was recorded because of great virtue' (a note of ZHENG Xuan).
儒学経典の『書経』や『詩経』に「文徳の人」（『詩経』毛氏伝）あるいは「徳美あって記さるる人」（鄭玄の注釈）とある。