Yin and yang show a balance between opposites.
In Chinese philosophy , yin and yang ( also yin -- yang or yin yang , yīnyáng `` dark -- bright '' ) describe how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary , interconnected , and interdependent in the natural world , and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another . Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary ( rather than opposing ) forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts . The yin yang ( i.e. taijitu symbol ) shows a balance between two opposites with a portion of the opposite element in each section .