Yang Xiong, a renowned scholar of the late Western Han Dynasty, was a master of literature, philosophy, and linguistics, with a particular expertise in regional dialects and ancient scripts.
During the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, he served as a minor official, a Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. At that time, Wang Mang, Liu Xin, and he worked together in similar positions. Later, Wang Mang usurped power and became emperor, while Liu Xin served as Wang Mang's "State Preceptor." Wang Mang did not forget Yang Xiong and appointed him as a Grand Master, assigning him to collate books at the Tianlu Pavilion.
Soon after, Liu Xin and Zhen Feng, along with Zhen's son, conspired to overthrow Wang Mang and restore the Han dynasty. But their plot was exposed—Liu Xin took his own life, Wang Mang executed the Zhen father and son, and exiled Liu Xin's son, Liu Fen, along with others to the remote frontiers.
When Yang Xiong heard that Liu Xin had plotted a rebellion, he was terrified of being implicated. The official handling the case, noting their close ties, sent men to arrest him at Tianlu Pavilion. Believing death was certain, Yang Xiong closed his eyes and leaped from the building, intending to end his life.
Unexpectedly, he didn't die from the fall and was dragged before Wang Mang. Wang Mang asked in astonishment, "You weren't involved in the rebellion, so why did you jump off the building?" Someone nearby remarked, "Liu Xin's son, Liu Fen, once studied ancient characters with him—perhaps he thought he'd be implicated." Wang Mang waved his hand dismissively and said, "Forget it! He knew nothing. Let him go!"
Although Yang Xiong was eventually released, he was soon stripped of his official post by Wang Mang. His family had always been poor, and now they were even more destitute. Many of his old friends dared not visit him anymore. For a time, his doorstep was cold and deserted, leaving him utterly isolated. He could only drown his sorrows in wine, often drinking himself into a stupor.
One day, the scholar Yang Xiong was at home organizing his manuscript *Dialects* when several young men from out of town arrived carrying gifts of wine and meat, seeking to become his disciples and learn ancient characters. They presented bamboo slips covered in archaic script and humbly asked for his guidance. Yang Xiong patiently explained each character, and the youths, delighted by his teachings, departed cheerfully.
Later, the idiom "Carrying Wine to Ask Characters" came to mean bringing gifts when seeking someone's advice.
Source: *Book of Han*, "Biography of Yang Xiong"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "载酒问字" came to describe bringing gifts when seeking someone's advice.