The world's largest sample of $J/\psi$ events accumulated at the BESIII detector offers a unique opportunity to investigate $\eta$ and $\eta^\prime$ physics via the radiative transition processes $J/\psi\to\gamma\eta/\eta^\prime$. A selection of recent highlights in light meson spectroscopy achieved at BESIII is reviewed in this
proceeding, including the observation of the cusp effect in $\eta^\prime\to\pi^0\pi^0\eta$, precision study of the
decay mechanism for $\eta\to3\pi$ and $\eta^\prime\to4\pi$, electromagnetic transition form factor measurements
with $\eta/\eta^\prime\to\gamma e^+e^-$ and $\eta^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^- l^+l^-$, as well as the test of discrete symmetries and search for
dark force in $\eta$ and $\eta^\prime$ decays.