Smart and eager to learn, and not ashamed to ask questions.

Interpretation: Not ashamed to ask for advice from people with lower status and knowledge than oneself, describing being humble and eager to learn.

Source: "The Analects of Confucius" Gongye Chang No. 15 by Confucius in the Pre-Qin Dynasty. Zi Gong asked: "How does Confucius and Wenzi call it 'literary'?" Confucius said: "Smart and eager to learn, not ashamed to ask questions. That’s why it’s called ‘Wen’.”

Translation: Zi Gong asked: “Why was Kong Wenzi given the posthumous title of ‘Wen’?” Confucius said: “He was smart and eager to learn, and he was interested in people who were not as good as him. He was not ashamed to ask for advice, so he was given the posthumous title of 'Wen'."

Extended information

"The Analects" reflects Confucius' educational principles. Confucius taught students in accordance with their aptitude and gave different teachings to different objects, taking into account their different qualities, advantages and disadvantages, and the specific circumstances of their moral cultivation, which showed his valuable spirit of tireless teaching.

The "Analects of Confucius" retains some criticisms and satires of Confucius's masters and disciples, some of which were refuted, and some of which were not answered. Its refutation and argumentation part has a great influence on later generations, such as "Answering a Guest" and other short poems that are set up as a question and answer debate between the host and the guest, are all inspired by the Analects; its self-mockery part shows the Confucian affirmation of self-worth. Praise for the positive and enterprising spirit of "knowing that something cannot be done but doing it".