漢武帝在位的時候，大將軍霍光是朝廷舉足輕重的大臣，深得武帝信任。武帝監死前，把幼子劉弗陵（昭帝）託付給霍光輔佐。昭帝去世後，霍光又立劉詢做皇帝（宣帝）。霍光掌握朝政大權四十多年，為西漢王進立下了不小的功勳。 劉詢承皇位以後，立許妃做皇后。霍光的妻子霍顯，是個貪圖富貴的女人，她想把自己的小女兒成君嫁給劉詢做皇后，就乘許娘娘有病的機會，買通女醫下毒害死了許後。毒計敗露，女醫下獄。此事霍光事先一點也不知道，等事情出來了，霍顯才告訴他。霍光非常驚懼，指責妻子不該辦這種事情。他也想去告發，但又不忍心妻子被治罪，前思後想，還是把這件傷天害理的事情隱瞞下來了。霍光死後，有人向宣帝告發此案，宣帝派人去調查處理。霍光的妻子聽說了，與家人、親信商量對策，決定召集族人策劃謀反，不想走漏了風聲，宣帝派兵將霍家包圍，滿門抄斬。 東漢史學家班固在《漢書·霍光傳》中評論霍光的功過。說他“不學無術，暗於大理”，意思是：霍光不讀書，沒學識，因而不明關乎大局的道理。成語“不學無術”，指沒有學問，沒有本領。 having neither learning nor skill in the reign of emperor wudi of the han dynasty, grand general huo guang was a minister who occupied a decisive position at court and was deeply trusted by the emperor. when emperor wudi was dying, he entrusted huo guang with the task of assisting his youngest son liu fuelling (emperor zhaodi)in go verning the country. after the death of emperor zhaodi,huo guang made liu xun the emperor. who was emperor xuandi of the han dynasty. controlling the imperial government for more than 40 years ,huo guang had rendered fairly outstanding service to the western han dynasty. after liu xun ascended the throne, he made imperial concubine xu his queen. hankering after wealth and rank, huo guang's wife huo xian tried to make her youngest daughter chengjun the queen of lin xun. so ,taking the opportunity of the queen's illness, huo xian bribed a woman doctor who poisoned the queen to death. the venomous scheme was brought to light,and the woman doctor was put into jail. huo guang knew nothing about it beforehand, and it was not until after the event that his wife told him about it. seized with terror, huo guang reproached his wife for doing such a thing, he thought of reporting his wife for her crime, but at the same time did not have the beart to have her wife punished. after much hesitation, he conceited the thing offensive to god and reason in the end. after huo guang died,emperor xuandi was informed of the case. someone was sent to investigate it. hearing this,huo guang's wife discussed with her family members and trusted followers in order to find a way to deal with her family members and trusted followers in order to find a way to deal with the situation. three decided to call the clansmen together to stage a rebellion. but the secret was divulged. emperor xuandi sent troops to surround hue's home, and all the members of hue's family were executed. commenting on the merits and demerits of huo guang, historian ban gu(32-92) said in "the life of huo guang "in his history of the han dynasty that huo guang "had neither knowledge nor skill and did not understand the major principles". that is to say, huo guang did not understand the truths concerning the overall situation because he did not study and had no knowledge. the set phrase" having neither knowledge nor skill" is later used to refer to being ignorant and incompetent.