To be utterly devoid of shame or embarrassment, especially after committing a wrong or inappropriate act; to brazenly disregard moral boundaries without any sense of guilt.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
Wang Anshi (1021-1086), whose courtesy name was Jiefu and pen name Banshan, was from Linchuan, Fuzhou (present-day Jiangxi). He served as prime minister during Emperor Shenzong's reign and initiated reforms.
Cui Gongdu had a stutter and was not a good conversationalist, but he was exceptionally clear-headed and intelligent, remembering everything he read. His literary compositions were highly appreciated by renowned scholars like Ouyang Xiu, Wang Anshi, and Han Qi.
Starting from humble origins, Cui Gongdu had no influential relatives in court to rely on. Therefore, he devoted himself entirely to fawning over Wang Anshi, often greeting him day and night, even showing immense deference when they met in the restroom.
Once, he followed closely behind Wang Anshi, holding onto the tail of his clothing belt. Wang Anshi turned back, puzzled, but Cui Gongdu merely smiled and said, 'Prime Minister, your belt has a bit of dirt on it, and I've carefully wiped it clean with my sleeve.' Onlookers found this utterly ridiculous, yet Cui Gongdu himself felt no shame.