众zhòng所suǒ周zhōu知zhī

Literal: what everyone knows through and through
Figurative: A fact everyone takes as given, and which is therefore simply stated, as the starting point for whatever comes next.

Where does 众所周知 come from?

It does not come from a particular story: it is a classical-style formula that is still alive in written Chinese today. It is built around 所, the particle that turns a verb into "that which is known," preceded by 众 ("the people, everyone") and reinforced by 周, here meaning "fully, everywhere." It usually opens a sentence, followed by a comma, much like the English "as everyone knows"; it also shows up before 的 to label a fact nobody disputes.

How is 众所周知 used? Two examples

众zhòng所suǒ周zhōu知zhī，这zhè几jǐ年nián房fáng租zū涨zhǎng得de特tè别bié快kuài。
As everyone knows, rents have shot up over the past few years.
他tā不bù喜xǐ欢huan加jiā班bān，这zhè在zài公gōng司sī里lǐ是shì众zhòng所suǒ周zhōu知zhī的de事shì。
He doesn't like working overtime, and that's common knowledge around the office.

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