The　reversibility　of　aging　and　recycling　of　bitumen　directly　influences　the　recycling　efficiency　and　durability　of　recycled　pavement.　Rolling　thin　film　oven　(RTFO)　and　pressure　aging　vessel　(PAV)　were　conducted　to　simulate　the　different　degrees　of　aging　process.　The　rheology,　adhesion　and　chemical　properties　of　bitumen　samples　at　different　aging　and　recycling　stages　were　characterized　by　dynamic　shear　rheometer　(DSR),　contact　angle　test　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR).　The　results　reveal　that　the　complex　modulus　of　short-term　aged　bitumen　can　be　completely　recovered　to　the　level　of　virgin　bitumen.　The　complex　modulus　of　long-term　aged　bitumen　can　also　be　recovered,　but　higher　than　that　of　virgin　bitumen.　Aging　reduced　the　adhesion　between　bitumen　and　limestone.　The　anti-stripping　agent　can　increase　the　adhesion　of　both　short-term　aged　bitumen　and　long-term　aged　bitumen　by　19.0%　and　44.8%,　respectively.　The　carbonyl　index　and　sulfoxide　index　increased　by　3614.6%　and　441.9%　after　long-term　aging,　and　decreased　by　54.0%　and　40.5%　after　being　recycled,　respectively.　The　revelation　of　reversibility　of　aging　and　recycling　of　bitumen　can　help　to　understand　the　mechanism　of　aging　and　recycling　and　improve　the　recycling　technology.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　license　to　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG.