佛祖統紀 39.134

39.134

述曰。漢明帝幸辟雍。諸儒執經問難。搢紳之人闤橋門而觀。聽者以億萬計。唐太宗幸國子監。命祭酒講經。增學舍召名儒為學官。四方來學升講筵者八千人。大哉漢唐文治之盛。唯二君有焉。

The author remarks: When Emperor Ming of the Han visited the Biyong Academy, the scholars held texts and posed challenging questions, and the gentry crowded the bridge-gates to watch, those listening numbering in the hundreds of thousands. When Emperor Taizong of the Tang visited the Imperial College, he commanded the Libationer to lecture on the classics, expanded the schoolrooms, and summoned celebrated scholars to be academic officials, so that eight thousand came from the four quarters to study and ascended the lecture hall. How grand was the flourishing of civilian rule in the Han and Tang! Only these two sovereigns possessed it.