King Zhou of Shang, the last ruler of the Shang Dynasty, was a tyrant deeply resented by his people. He spent his days indulging in wine and women, neglecting state affairs, and blindly trusting the slanderous words of his favored concubine Daji, living a life of debauchery and depravity.
King Zhou of Shang had a loyal minister named Bi Gan, who grew deeply troubled by the king's tyranny. Bi Gan repeatedly urged him with earnest counsel, "Your Majesty, please reform your ways and govern for the people's good."
When King Zhou of Shang, swayed by his consort Daji's words, ordered the execution of the innocent minister Mei Bo and had his body ground into meat paste, the loyal advisor Bigan rushed to remonstrate, urgently pleading, 'Your Majesty, do not heed Daji's slander and kill the blameless—if this continues, the kingdom will fall.'
Bi Gan repeatedly admonished King Zhou for several days, which greatly displeased the king. King Zhou angrily shouted, "I have long heard that a sage's heart has seven openings. I will kill him, cut out his heart, and dissect it to see for myself!"
King Zhou of Shang indeed had Bi Gan executed and ordered his heart cut out.
Confucius remarked, "The tyrant Zhou's mind was utterly blocked; if even one passage had been open, Bi Gan would not have been killed!" Later, the idiom "utterly blocked" came to describe complete ignorance or lack of understanding.
Source: *Lüshi Chunqiu*, Chapter "Excessive Conduct"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "一窍不通" came to describe complete ignorance or lack of understanding.