西汉时期，朝中最得势的将军李广利千方百计企图拉拢司马迁，派人送他一对珍贵的玉璧，司马迁之女对这对晶莹剔透的玉璧很是喜欢，司马迁却劝导女儿：“璧贵在无瑕，人也应如此。如果我收下这玉璧，心灵上就会留下斑污，并要受制于人。”女儿听了父亲的话，爽快地同意父亲将玉璧退了回去。

In the Western Han Dynasty, Li Guangli was the most powerful general in the court. In order to ingratiate himself with Sima Qian, the court historian, Li sent him a pair of precious jade. Sima Qian’s daughter liked the glittering and translucent jade very much. However, Sima Qian said: “The jade’s value lies in flawlessness, so do people. If I accept this jade, it will leave a stain on my soul and I’ll be controlled by others.” The daughter listened to her father’s words and readily agreed with her father to return the jade.