What is Bát Quái?
Bagua (Eight Trigrams) are the eight basic trigrams in the I Ching, each composed of three yin or yang lines, symbolizing eight natural phenomena and the fundamental principles of universal movement.
Also called: Bagua
What is the Bagua and where does it come from?
The Bagua (八卦) is the set of eight trigrams that form the foundation of the I Ching system. Each trigram consists of three lines, and each line is either a solid line (yang) or a broken line (yin). The eight trigrams are: Qian (乾), Kun (坤), Zhen (震), Xun (巽), Kan (坎), Li (離), Gen (艮), Dui (兌). According to legend, Fu Xi observed heaven and earth, birds and beasts, rivers and mountains, and drew the Bagua to model the laws of transformation of all things. Later, King Wen paired the trigrams together into 64 hexagrams, expanding the possibilities for interpretation.
What do the eight trigrams represent?
Each trigram is associated with a natural phenomenon, a direction, a season and one of the Five Elements:
- Qian: Heaven, northwest, Metal, the nature of strength and vigour.
- Kun: Earth, southwest, Earth, the nature of yielding and embracing.
- Zhen: Thunder, east, Wood, representing awakening and action.
- Xun: Wind, southeast, Wood, representing penetration and flexibility.
- Kan: Water, north, Water, representing danger and hidden wisdom.
- Li: Fire, south, Fire, representing light and clarity.
- Gen: Mountain, northeast, Earth, representing stillness and the stopping point.
- Dui: Marsh, west, Metal, representing joy and communication.
How is the Bagua applied?
In the I Ching, the Bagua is the foundation for casting hexagrams and making interpretations. In feng shui, the Bagua is used to divide sectors, determine auspicious and inauspicious directions, and arrange the space of homes, workplaces and even cars. In folk culture, the Bagua symbol also appears on mirrors, amulets and protective objects, with the belief that it wards off evil energy.
How do you tell the Bagua apart from similar concepts?
- Bagua and the 64 hexagrams: the Bagua is the eight three-line trigrams; the 64 hexagrams are the result of pairing two trigrams together.
- Bagua and the Five Elements: the Bagua describes eight natural phenomena; the Five Elements classify all things under five factors, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. The two systems are often combined in feng shui.
- Bagua and Yin-Yang: Yin-Yang are the two basic symbols; the Bagua is the combination of three yin or yang lines.
What should you keep in mind when learning the Bagua?
The Bagua belongs to the body of traditional Eastern knowledge and is of value as philosophy and culture for reference. Its applications in divination and feng shui have not been verified by modern science. Readers should approach it with an open but clear-headed spirit, not treating it as absolute truth or a universal remedy.
How do the different schools understand the Bagua?
- The Earlier Heaven school (Fu Xi): The Earlier Heaven Bagua is arranged in the order: Qian south, Kun north, Li east, Kan west, Zhen northeast, Xun southwest, Gen northwest, Dui southeast. This arrangement emphasises the mutual correspondence of yin and yang, expressing the state of cosmic balance before all things came into being.
- The Later Heaven school (King Wen): The Later Heaven Bagua is arranged by direction: Li south, Kan north, Zhen east, Dui west, Xun southeast, Kun southwest, Qian northwest, Gen northeast. This arrangement reflects the practical movement of nature and is widely applied in feng shui and divination.
- The Plum Blossom Numerology school: The Bagua is used to cast hexagrams based on time, objects and phenomena, combined with the generating and overcoming relationships of the Five Elements to judge fortune and misfortune. This school emphasises flexibility and the intuitive response of the person casting.
What are some related articles?
- The Xun trigram in the Bagua: symbol and meaning
- The Kan trigram in the Bagua: symbol and meaning
- The Gen trigram in the Bagua: symbol and meaning
- The Pure Kun hexagram among the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching: origin and meaning
- The Kun trigram in the Bagua: symbol and meaning
- Five Elements Application: Choosing a Car That Matches Your Destiny
- The Xun mountain-direction among the 24 feng shui mountain-directions: meaning and how to interpret
- The Li trigram in the Bagua: symbol and meaning
- What is the I Ching: origin and the philosophy of yin-yang and the Bagua
- The Dui trigram in the Bagua: symbol and meaning
- The Zhen trigram in the Bagua: symbol and meaning
What is the Bagua table?
| Number | Symbol | Name | Chinese character | Three lines (top to bottom) | Image | Five Elements | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ☰ | Qian | 乾 | ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ | Heaven | Metal | Northwest |
| 2 | ☱ | Dui | 兌 | ▬ ▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ | Marsh | Metal | West |
| 3 | ☲ | Li | 離 | ▬▬ ▬ ▬ ▬▬ | Fire | Fire | South |
| 4 | ☳ | Zhen | 震 | ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬▬ | Thunder | Wood | East |
| 5 | ☴ | Xun | 巽 | ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬ ▬ | Wind | Wood | Southeast |
| 6 | ☵ | Kan | 坎 | ▬ ▬ ▬▬ ▬ ▬ | Water | Water | North |
| 7 | ☶ | Gen | 艮 | ▬▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ | Mountain | Earth | Northeast |
| 8 | ☷ | Kun | 坤 | ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ ▬ | Earth | Earth | Southwest |
The trigram numbers follow the Earlier Heaven order; the directions follow the Later Heaven Bagua. These are two different systems, and the table uses each system for its own proper purpose. A solid line is a yang line, a broken line is a yin line.
The figures in the table match the results of the lookup tools on Nhật Nguyệt.
