An ancient text teaches: "When things reach their extreme, they reverse. This is called the circular flow."
The phrase "物极必反" (when things reach their extreme, they must reverse) is the Daoist law of cycles. Joy, pushed to its limit, becomes sorrow. Sorrow, pushed to its limit, becomes joy. Strength, pushed to its limit, becomes weakness. This is not pessimism — it is the recognition that all things move in circles.
物极则反，命曰环流。
物极则反，命曰环流。
Reflection & Analysis · 寓意解读
Core Wisdom
The tide that is at its highest will soon recede. The night that is at its darkest will soon dawn. Nothing stays at its extreme forever.
This teaching is the foundation of Daoist cosmology and Chinese dialectical thinking. It appears in the Yi Jing, in Laozi, and in countless later texts. The implication is practical: when things are going well, prepare for reversal. When things are going badly, take heart — the reversal is coming.