It means: knowing what is bright, but content with the status of darkness.

Source: Chapter 28 of Laozi —— Chunqiu Laozi

Original text: Knowing his male and keeping his female is the world stream. For the world stream, Changde does not leave. Changde never leaves, and returns to the baby. Know its honor, keep its shame, for Amagai. For Amagai, Changde is enough. Changde is enough, returning to the park.

it's a world style to know its white and keep its black. For the world, Changde is not special. Changde is not special, and it returns to infinity. Park scattered for the device, the sage used it, it is the official, so the big system is not cut.

definition: I know what a strong man is, but I am willing to be a stream in the world. Willing to be a stream in the world, eternal virtue will not be lost and return to a state of innocence like a baby. I know what is bright, but I am content with the position of darkness, and I am willing to be the model of the world.

I am willing to be the model of the world, and the eternal virtue will not be lost, and I will return to the inexhaustible truth. Knowing what glory is, but keeping a humble position, I am willing to be the valley of the world.

If you are willing to be the world's Sichuan Valley, your eternal virtue will be sufficient and you will return to the simple and innocent state of nature. Simple and original things are made into artifacts, and those who have a way to use simplicity are the best of a hundred officials, so perfect politics is inseparable.

Extended information:

Lao Tzu said, "Knowing its white and keeping its shame is Amagai." This sentence is also a well-known saying. "Insult" is a borrowed word, which means black spot, or extended to obscurantism.

knowing the brightness, but being content with the darkness, you can become the valley of the world. Chuangu is a metaphor, which we can understand as popular. This is to describe a state of mind. Here, it seems that we can make some play and expand several truths contained in it.

first of all, we have to admit the bright side. Some people understand Laozi and see that Laozi denies fullness, so they refuse to fill it, or even turn a blind eye.

Lao Tzu said, "It's better to be profitable if you hold on to it; It is impossible to keep a sharp mind, and it really persuades people to "retire after work." However, if you still turn a blind eye when you are full, it is obvious that this person makes people feel a little "obedient." We should keep an objective and sober pragmatic attitude towards this, and only by seeking truth from facts can we solve the problem.

second, "keep it humiliating." Knowing that it is bright, even in a dazzling state, then we need to make a suitable choice. Although it is not necessarily necessary to follow what Laozi said, his words are a good reminder. Third, know its transformation.