Confucius, the great thinker, politician, and educator of the Spring and Autumn period and founder of Confucianism, was revered as a sage. Yet he believed no one, himself included, was born with knowledge. Once, while attending an ancestral ceremony at the Lu ruler's temple, Confucius asked questions about nearly every detail. Someone mocked him behind his back, saying he didn't understand ritual and had to ask about everything. When Confucius heard this, he replied, "Asking about what I don't know is precisely how I show my desire to understand propriety."
During the Spring and Autumn period, there was a nobleman in the state of Wey named Kong Yu, known for his humility and integrity. In those days, it was customary to bestow a posthumous title upon a ruler or noble after death. When Kong Yu died, he was granted the title "Wen," meaning "cultured," and so he became known as Kong Wenzi. One of Confucius' disciples, Zigong, was skeptical of this honor, believing Kong Yu had flaws. He approached Confucius and asked, "Master, on what grounds does Kong Wenzi deserve to be called 'Wen'?"
Confucius replied, "Quick-witted and fond of learning, not ashamed to ask those beneath him—this is why he is called 'Wen.'" This means Kong Yu was intelligent and diligent, never considering it shameful to seek knowledge from those of lower rank or lesser learning, so "Wen" was fitting as his posthumous title.
Confucius's words gave rise to the idiom "not ashamed to ask from below." Later, people often used it to describe seeking advice from those of lower status or knowledge, or to express humility and eagerness to learn without being self-righteous.
Source: *The Analects*, Chapter "Gongye Chang"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "不耻下问" came to describe seeking advice from those of lower status or knowledge, or to express humility and eagerness to learn without being self-righteous.