It means that when the moon is round, a lunar eclipse is likely to occur, and the water will overflow when it is full. If you think you are satisfied, you will fail. Self-praise makes you stupid. It is a metaphor that things will decline when they reach their peak.

"When the moon is full, it will be waning; when the water is full, it will overflow; when people are full, they will be arrogant." It talks about three natural phenomena, and it is also a metaphor for the way people behave in the world. It is also a wise saying left by our ancestors.

All successful people leave room for words, act appropriately, and keep distance when making friends. This is a kind of philosophical thinking, and the key is to grasp a certain degree. Only those who are neutral, respectful and humble can be open to all rivers, embrace everything and, over time, continue to move towards the ideal kingdom of the soul.

Historical Allusions

The Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty liked to play Go very much. She was not very good at chess but hated others for beating her. Even when Li Lianying, the personal eunuch who played against her, she pretended to fight fiercely. Only by deliberately showing a flaw and allowing Lafayette to win can he ensure that his head is on top. However, some young eunuchs who had just arrived did not understand this truth and beat the Empress Dowager Cixi to pieces. They offended Cixi and were punished, and even lost her life.

Once, a teenage eunuch was ordered to play chess with the Queen Mother. The little eunuch was a little timid at first, but as the game progressed, his mind completely shifted to the chess game, and he took a large piece of the Queen Mother's chess piece, which was thinking about state affairs, and clapped her hands: "You are finished!" Cixi was furious when she heard this. He was so angry that he ordered someone to kill the young eunuch.

If the little eunuch understood the principle that "when the water is full, it overflows; when the moon is full, it loses; when one is complacent, one becomes defeated; when one is conceited, one becomes foolish." He would not have lost his life in vain.