每况愈下 — “To go from bad to worse”

During the Warring States period, there was a man named Dongguozi who heard that Zhuangzi had a profound understanding of 'Dao' (the Way), so he went to consult him, asking where 'Dao' truly resided. Zhuangzi replied, "The 'Dao' I speak of is everywhere, omnipresent." Dongguozi politely inquired, "Could you please specify where exactly it is?" Without hesitation, Zhuangzi said, "In ant holes." Dongguozi was very surprised, "Dao is something so noble, how can it exist in such a lowly place?"

Zhuangzi then added, "The 'Dao' is also in humble weeds, broken bricks, and shattered stones." "Isn't that even more humble?" Dongguozi was even more puzzled. Zhuangzi continued, "My 'Dao' is even in excrement and urine!" Dongguozi became increasingly displeased as Zhuangzi mentioned progressively lower places.

Zhuangzi then explained, "To satisfy your request and clarify the essence of 'Dao,' one must inspect it like checking the fatness of a pig at a market. The lower parts of the pig are where it's hardest for fat to accumulate. If fat has accumulated even on its lower legs, then other parts are certainly much fatter. Therefore, when I tell you that 'Dao' is in these humble places, and if it exists there, then its presence in other places is self-evident."

"Oh, I see," Dongguozi said, impressed by Zhuangzi's wisdom. This story comes from 'Zhuangzi: Zhi Bei You.' The original meaning referred to the idea that the more one seeks truth from humble things, the more one can understand the true nature of 'Dao.' Later, its meaning gradually shifted to describe a situation that is continuously getting worse.