The Eight Trigrams

In all cultures, symbols convey meaning. The eight trigrams or Bagua (Pa Kua) is a group of symbols that hold deep meaning in Chinese philosophy. These eight symbols are representations of naturally occurring processes. They represent movement and change. They are from the I Ching or Book of Changes. Each of the trigrams are frequently associated with a season, family member, animal, direction of the compass, personality, etc.

For this class, we will not go into great depth in the study of the Eight Trigrams (as that could take a lifetime.) We will look at the Wuji, Taiji and trigram symbols and how the trigrams are arranged.

These eight trigrams have been organized into two different arrangements, Early Heaven and Later Heaven. Both of these arrangements represent the four cardinal and four secondary directions on the compass. South is always at the top. So whichever symbol is at the top represents South for that arrangement of the Triagrams. The Early Heaven arrangement is organized based on opposing forces. The Later Heaven arrangement is organized based on the cyclic nature of the world. In this class, we'll spend more time with the Early Heaven layout of the Eight Trigrams.

Before we look at the two different arrangements of the 8 trigrams, we'll look at each of the trigrams. A discussion of these trigrams would not be complete without a discussion on yin, yang, and cycles. Much of the Taoist belief is that the world is cyclic and there is yin and yang energy. With that in mind, let's start by looking at the Wuji symbol.

In the beginning there was the Wuji or the great void which was beyond space and time. Wuji has also been called the emptiness or undefinable.
Wuji moves and twists and becomes the tai ji symbol. This symbol represents yin and yang.
From yin and yang, two symbols were created, yang_I (which is a solid line) and yin_I (which is a broken line)

yang_I

yin_I
By creating combinations of two each of these symbols we have the Szu-Hsiang (four symbols)
By combining the yang-I and yin-I symbols in groups of three, we have the Baqua (Pa Kau) or 8 trigrams.

 

The Eight Trigrams



Trigram
Symbol

 

Natural Object

Chinese 
Name

 Tai Chi Movement Eight Brocades Qigong

Heaven, Sky, Air
Chi'en
Ward Off
Big Bear Turns from Side to Side
Earth
K'un
Roll Back
Shake the Heavenly Pillar
Water
K'an
Press
Propping up the Sky
Fire
Li
Push
Punching with Tiger Eyes
Wind
Sun
Pull
Drawing the Bow
Thunder
Chen
Split
Bouncing on Toes
Lake
Valley
Tui
Elbow Strike
Touching Toes & Bending Backwards
Mountain
Ken
Shouldering
Separating Heaven & Earth

 

Early Heaven Arrangement

This arrangement of the trigrams is also called the Pre Heaven, Before Heaven, Early Version, Early Day, Fu Hsi, or Hse'n T'ien arrangement. The Early Heaven arrangement of the trigrams is said to have been developed many thousands of years ago by Fu Hsi. It is organized based on opposing forces. It represents balancing complementary pairs of opposites. This arrangement represents innate energies and the interaction of polar forces. This innate energy is the life energy you were born with. There is no movement or passage of time represented in the Early Heaven arrangement of the 8 Trigrams.

As you look at the Early Heaven arrangement of the trigrams, notice how water is opposite fire and the valley is opposite the mountain. Those items on the right fall to earth... ie, water (as rain) falls to earth. Sometimes the water symbol is said to represent the setting moon. On the left side of the arrangement are things that rise to heaven, ie fire burns up towards heaven. Sometimes fire is represented by the sun rising.

The King Wen or Later Heaven Arrangement

This arrangement is also called the Post Heaven, Later Heaven, King Wen, Later Day, or Later Version arrangement. The Chinese scholar and royal, King Wen is credited with re-organizing the trigrams into this arrangement. The Later Heaven arrangement represents the cyclic nature of the world. It is sequential in nature and deals with changes brought on by the passing of time. Here the focus is achieving balance by accepting change. The Later Heaven arrangement also represents the acquired energies. This energy is sustained by the air we breathe and the food we eat. The Later Heaven Arrangement is often used in Feng Shui.

 

Early Heaven
   Later Heaven
 
   
Fire
(Summer)
    
 
   
  Wind   Earth  
Thunder
(Spring)
  Lake
(Fall)
   
  Mountain   Heaven  
     
    Water
(Winter) 		   
       
         

 

If you'd like to read more about the Eight trigrams or feng-shui, check out these sites.

 

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.”
Lao Tzu