《周禮．天官》言「小宰」之職有：「以聽官府之六計，弊群吏之治：一曰廉善，二曰廉能，三曰廉敬，四曰廉正，五曰廉法，六曰廉辨。」強調任官選吏之要，除了「善」、「能」、「敬」、「正」、「法」、「辨」等道德或能力要求，還需以「廉」為本，可視為我國政治思想強調「廉政」的淵源。另《周禮．天官》亦強調以「官職」、「官常」、「官聯」督成官吏之賢；以「官成」、「日成」「月要」「歲會」考課官吏之責；以「司會」、「司書」、「職內」、「職歲」防範官吏之腐；以「八柄」、「官刑」檢肅官吏之貪等，其與「廉政」相關的主張，非常值得後世參考。

Zhouli emphasized that appropriate governors or officers should be morally incorruptible and highly capable. It was the origin of the concept of a policy of incorruptibility for government officials. Furthermore, it also stressed that governors or officers should be decent, responsible and incorruptible. The opinions regarding corruption are worth referring to for the future governors or officers.