Bagua

The Bagua, Pakua or Palgwae are eight symbols used in Taoist cosmology to represent the fundamental principles of reality, seen as a range of eight interrelated concepts. Each consists of three lines, each line either "broken" or "unbroken", respectively representing yin or yang, 0 or 1 forming binary numbers 000-111 (0 to 7). Due to their tripartite structure, they are often referred to as Eight Trigrams in English.

Bagua diagram from Zhao Huiqian's (趙撝謙) Liushu benyi (六書本義, 1370s).
Bagua
Chinese name
Chinese八卦
Literal meaningEight symbols
Vietnamese name
VietnameseBát quái
Hán-Nôm八卦
Korean name
Hangul팔괘
Hanja八卦
Japanese name
Kanji八卦
Hiraganaはっけ

The trigrams are related to Taiji or Taegeuk philosophy, Taijiquan and the Wuxing, or "five elements".[1] The relationships between the trigrams are represented in two arrangements, the Primordial (先天八卦), "Earlier Heaven"[2] or "Fu Xi" bagua (伏羲八卦), and the Manifested (後天八卦), "Later Heaven,"[2] or "King Wen" bagua. The trigrams have correspondences in astronomy, astrology, geography, geomancy, anatomy, the family, and elsewhere.[3][4]

The ancient Chinese classic, I Ching (Pinyin: Yi Jing), consists of the 64 pairwise permutations of trigrams, referred to as "hexagrams", along with commentary on each one.

Trigrams

八卦 Bāguà—The eight trigrams (Top bar is least significant binary digit)
Trigram lines 乾 Qián
☰
000
兌 Duì
☱
001
離 Lí
☲
010
震 Zhèn
☳
011
巽 Xùn
☴
100
坎 Kǎn
☵
101
艮 Gèn
☶
110
坤 Kūn
☷
111
Nature Heaven/Firmament
天 Tiān
Lake/Marsh
澤 Zé
Heart of Fire
火 Huǒ
Thunder
雷 Léi
Wind
風 Fēng
Water
水 Shuǐ
Mountain
山 Shān
Ground
地 Dì
Element and planet Metallic / NeptuneMetallic / VenusFiery / MarsWooden / JupiterWooden / PlutoWatery / MercuryEarthy / UranusEarthy / Saturn
Ba Xian Han Xiang ZiZhongli QuanLü DongbinCao GuojiuHe XianguLi TieguaiZhang GuolaoLan Caihe
Personality PhilosophyHoly MerrymakerSovereigntyEmperor (General)Tao Yin (Wise)PilgrimWarrior Hero Feeling
Artifact FluteHand fanSwordCastanetLotusCalabashDrumBasket flower
Eight meridians[5] Du MaiYin Wei MaiChong MaiYang Wei MaiYin Qiao MaiDai MaiYang Qiao MaiRen Mai
Chinese Dragon Tianlong Panlong, Feilong Zhulong Shenlong Qinglong Jiaolong, Dilong Fuzanglong Chilong
Starting acupuncture point Hou XiNei GuanGong SunWai GuanZhao HaiZu Lin QiShen MenLie Que
Acupuncture Channel Xiao ChangXin BaoPiSan JiaoShenDanPang GuangFei
Chinese Zodiac

Greek God Equivalent

Sheep

Apollo

Dog

Aphrodite

Snake

Demeter

Cat (pig)

Hermes

Bird

Athena

Rat

Dionysus

Monkey

Ares

Tiger

Hera

Zang-fu Hand Tai Yin Jue Yin Yang Ming Shao Yin Shao Yang Tai Yang Foot
Baduanjin 兩手托天理三焦左右開弓似射雕調理脾胃順單舉攢拳怒目增氣力兩手攀足固腎腰搖頭擺尾去心火五勞七傷向後瞧背後七顛百病消
Chakra SahasraraAjnaAnahataVishuddhaSvadhishthanaManipuraMuladharaBindu
Axis Points Qianding Yindang/Qiangjian Danzhong/Shendao Tiantu/Yamen Shenque/Mingmen Zhongwan/Jinsuo Shimen/Yaoyangquan Huiyin
Mid-body acupuncture point 百會強間膻中, 神道大椎 廉泉神闕, 命門脊中, 中脘腰陽關, 氣海華蓋, 會陰
Action Think, Sound (to)SeeLoveSayFeelDo / Have (Power)BeExist
Bushido Integrity Respect Courage Honor Compassion Honesty Loyalty Self Control
Greek Titan Equivalent Uranus (Father Sky) Hemera (Day) Ether (Fire) Chaos (Storm, Chaotic) Nyx (Tree) Pontus (Sea) Ourea (Mountain) Gaia (Mother Earth)
Human body Spirit Nervous System Circulatory System Immune System Reproductive System Skeletal System Excretory System Muscle System
Virtue and Sin Faith – Heresy Abnegation – Envy Chastity – Lust Humble – Vanity Dedication – Lazy Temperance – Greedy Patience – Wrath Charity – Materialist
24 Hours 12 9 6 3 15 18 21 0
360 degrees 180 135 90 45 225 270 315 0
Cardinal Direction (Antarctic Opposite) South (North) South-East (North-East) East North-East (South-East) South-West (North-West) West North-West (South-West) North (South)
Energy Solar Wind Thermal Electric Organic Hydric Fossil Gravitational
Nature Event Star Blows (Magnectic Fields) Meteor Comet Hurricane Forest Fires Lightning Storm Disease Plague Tsunami Flood Volcanic Eruption Earth Quake
Trigram Lines Image Full, All (Force) Bucket (Washer, Purifying) Sphere (Cyclic) Cup (Drinker, Taster) Bridge (Helper) Target (Dangerous) Gate, Door (Guardian, Keeper, Key) Empty, Nothing (Darkness)
Arctic Season (Antarctic Opposite) Summer Solstice 21 June 7 May Spring Equinox 21 March 7 February (Azure Dragon) 7 August (Vermilion Bird) Fall Equinox 21 September 7 October Winter Soltice 21 December (White Tiger)
Feng Shui Number (King Wen/Fu Xi)

5 Center

6/9 7/4 9/3 3/2 4/8 1/7 2/6 8/1
Human Body Head Arm/Shoulder Breasts/Thorax Forearm/Hand Thigh/Glutes Abdomen Knee/Foot Womb
Bone Skull Humerus Rib Cage Radius/Ulna Femur Spinal Cord Tibia/Fibula Pelvis
Endocrine glands Pineal Pituitary Thymus Thyroid Ovary Pancreas Testis Adrenal

Relation to other principles

Derivation of the bagua

There are two possible sources of bagua. The first is from traditional Yin and Yang philosophy. This is explained by Fuxi in the following way:


無極生有極、
有極是太極、
太極生兩儀、
即陰陽。
兩儀生四象:
即少陰、太陰、
少陽、太陽、
四象演八卦、
八八六十四卦。

Wújí shēng yǒují,
yǒují shì tàijí.
Tàijí shēng liǎngyí,
jí yīnyáng.
Liǎngyí shēng sìxiàng:
jí shǎoyīn, tàiyīn,
shǎoyáng, tàiyang
Sìxiàng yǎn bāguà,
bā bā liùshísì guà

   The Limitless (無極; Wuji) produces the Delimited (有極; Youji),
   and this Delimited is equivalent to the Highest Limit (太極; Taiji), or the Absolute.
   The Taiji (i.e. the two opposing forces in embryonic, unmanifested form) produces two forms Liangyi (兩儀),
   namely yin-yang(陰陽), the manifested opposing forces.
   These two forms produce four phenomena:
   namely: lesser yin (少陰, shaoyin), and greater yin (太陰, taiyin, which also refers to the Moon);
   lesser yang (陽, shaoyang), and greater yang (太陽, taiyang, which also refers to the Sun).
   The four phenomena (四象; sìxiàng) act on the eight trigrams (八卦; Bagua).
   Eight 'eights' results in sixty-four hexagrams.

Another possible source of bagua is the following, attributed to King Wen of Zhou Dynasty: "When the world began, there was heaven and earth. Heaven mated with the earth and gave birth to everything in the world. Heaven is Qian-gua, and the Earth is Kun-gua. The remaining six guas are their sons and daughters".

The trigrams are related to the five elements of Wu Xing, used by Feng Shui practitioners and in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Those five elements are Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal. The Water (Kan) and Fire (Li) trigrams correspond directly with the Water and Fire elements. The element of Earth corresponds with both the trigrams of Earth (Kun) and Mountain (Gen). The element of Wood corresponds with the trigrams of Wind (Xun) (as a gentle but inexorable force that can erode and penetrate stone) and Thunder (Zhen). The element of Metal corresponds with the trigrams of Heaven (Qian) and Lake (Dui).

There are eight possible combinations to render the various trigrams (八卦 bāguà):

Trigram figure Possible binary value Name Translation: Wilhelm[6] Image in nature (pp.l-li) Direction (p. 269) Family relationship (p. 274) Body part (p. 274) Attribute (p. 273) Stage/ state (pp.l-li) Animal (p. 273)
1☰111乾
qián
the Creative, (natural) forceheaven, sky
天
northwestfatherheadstrong, persistingcreative馬
horse
2☱110兌
duì
the Joyous, open (reflection)lake, marsh
澤
westthird daughtermouthpleasuretranquil (complete devotion)羊
sheep, goat
3☲101離
lí
the Clinging, radiancefire, glow
火
southsecond daughtereyelight-giving, humane "dependence"clinging, clarity, adaptable雉
pheasant
4☳100震
zhèn
the Arousing, shakethunder
雷
eastfirst sonfootinciting movementinitiative龍
dragon
5☴011巽
xùn
the Gentle, groundwind
風
southeastfirst daughterthighpenetratinggentle entrance雞
fowl
6☵010坎
kǎn
the Abysmal, gorgewater
水
northsecond soneardangerousin-motion豕
pig
7☶001艮
gèn
Keeping Still, boundmountain
山
northeastthird sonhandresting, stand-stillcompletion狗
wolf, dog
8☷000坤
kūn
the Receptive, fieldearth
地
southwestmother (consort)bellydevoted, yieldingreceptive牛
cow

Hexagram lookup table

Upper →
Lower ↓
乾 Qián

Heaven
坤 Kūn

Earth
震 Zhèn

Thunder
坎 Kǎn

Water
艮 Gèn

Mountain
巽 Xùn

Wind
離 Lí

Flame
兌 Duì

Lake
乾 Qián

Heaven
01


Force
11


Pervading
34


Great Invigorating
05


Attending

26


Great
Accumulating

09


Small
Harvest

14


Great
Possessing
43


Displacement
坤 Kūn

Earth
12


Obstruction
02


Field
16


Providing-For
08


Grouping
23


Stripping
20


Viewing
35


Prospering
45


Clustering
震 Zhèn

Thunder
25


Innocence
24


Returning
51


Shake
03


Sprouting
27


Swallowing
42


Augmenting
21


Gnawing Bite
17


Following
坎 Kǎn

Water
06


Arguing
07


Leading
40


Deliverance
29


Gorge
04


Enveloping
59


Dispersing
64


Before Completion
47


Confining
艮 Gèn

Mountain
33


Retiring
15


Humbling
62


Small Exceeding
39


Limping
52


Bound
53


Infiltrating
56


Sojourning
31


Conjoining
巽 Xùn

Wind
44


Coupling
46


Ascending
32


Persevering
48


Welling
18


Correcting
57


Ground
50


Holding
28


Great Exceeding
離 Lí

Flame
13


Concording
People
36


Intelligence
Hidden
55


Abounding
63


Already
Fording
22


Adorning
37


Dwelling
People
30


Radiance
49


Skinning
兌 Duì

Lake
10


Treading
19


Nearing
54


Converting the Maiden
60


Articulating
41


Diminishing
61


Inner Truth
38


Polarising
58


Open

Fu Xi "Earlier Heaven"

Fuxi "Earlier Heaven" bagua arrangement
卦名
Name
自然
Nature
季节
Season
性情
Personality
家族
Family
方位
Direction
意義
Meaning
乾 Qián天 Sky (Heaven)SummerCreative父 Father南 South健 Expansive energy, the sky. For further information, see tiān.
巽 Xùn風 WindSummerGentle長女 Eldest Daughter西南 Southwest入 Gentle penetration, flexibility.
坎 Kǎn水 WaterAutumnAbysmal中男 Middle Son西 West陷 Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon.
艮 Gèn山 MountainAutumnStill少男 Youngest Son西北 Northwest止 Stillness, immovability.
坤 Kūn地 EarthWinterReceptive母 Mother北 North順 Receptive energy, that which yields. For further information, see dì.
震 Zhèn雷 ThunderWinterArousing長男 Eldest Son東北 Northeast動 Excitation, revolution, division.
離 Lí火 FireSpringClinging中女 Middle Daughter東 East麗 Rapid movement, radiance, the sun.
兌 Duì澤 LakeSpringJoyous少女 Youngest Daughter東南 Southeast悅 Joy, satisfaction, stagnation.

This is also known as the "binary sequence" or Shao Yong sequence. A binary interpretation of each hexagram is made by interpreting yin as "0" and yang as "1", and reading the leading "digit" from the inside of the diagram, so the hexagram kūn is interpreted as 0, and gèn as 1. The hexagrams are in binary order when read up from the bottom around on the right, then up again on the left to the top.

King Wen "Later Heaven"

King Wen "Later Heaven" bagua arrangement
卦名
Name
自然
Nature
季节
Season
性情
Personality
家族
Family
方位
Direction
意義
Meaning
離 Li火 FireSummerClinging中女 Middle Daughter南 South麗 Pulsing motion, radiance, the luminaries.
坤 Kun地 EarthSummerReceptive母 Mother西南 Southwest順 Receptive energy, that which yields.
兌 Dui澤 LakeAutumnJoyous少女 Youngest Daughter西 West悅 Joy, satisfaction, stagnation.
乾 Qian天 HeavenAutumnCreative父 Father西北 Northwest健 Expansive energy, the sky.
坎 Kan水 WaterWinterAbysmal中男 Middle Son北 North陷 Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon.
艮 Gen山 MountainWinterStill少男 Youngest Son東北 Northeast止 Stillness, immovability.
震 Zhen雷 ThunderSpringArousing長男 Eldest Son東 East動 Excitation, revolution, division.
巽 Xun風 WindSpringGentle長女 Eldest Daughter東南 Southeast入 Gentle penetration, flexibility.

Yellow River Map

卦名
Name
節氣
Solar Term
屬性
Elements
器官
Organs
方位
Direction
顏色
Color
味道
Taste
星相
Constellation
體液
Body Fluid
二進制
Binary
情志
Mood
巽Winter Solstice 冬至陽火(Fire)腎 Kidneys北 North丹 Red鹹 Salty虛(Emptiness/Aquarius)血 Plasma011恐 Fear
坎Start of Winter 立冬陰火(Fire)腸 Intestines西北 North West洋紅 Magenta鹹 Salty斗(Dipper/Sagittarius)血 Plasma010恐 Fear
兌Autumn Equinox 秋分陰水(Water)肝 Liver西 West藍 Blue苦 Bitter房(Room/Scorpio)津 Liquid110憂 Sullen
乾Start of Autumn 立秋陽水(Water)膽 Gallbladder西南 South West黑 Black苦 Bitter角(Horn/Virgo)津 Liquid111憂 Sullen
震Summer Solstice 夏至陰木(Wood)肺 Lungs南 South青 Cyan辛 Spicy星(Star/Leo)氣 Air100喜 Joy
離Start of Summer 立夏陽木(Wood)心 Heart東南 South East綠 Green辛 Spicy井(Well/Gemini)氣 Air101喜 Joy
艮Spring Equinox 春分陽金(Metal)脾 Spleen東 East黃 Yellow酸 Sour昴(Hairy Head/Taurus)精 Essence001怒 Anger
坤Start of Spring 立春陰金(Metal)胃 Stomach東北 North East白 White酸 Sour奎(Legs/Pisces)精 Essence000怒 Anger

Cycles of elements in this chart: 生 (Generative/Counter-clockwise), 剋 (Destructive/Clockwise)

火生水, 水生木, 木生金, 金生火
火剋金, 金剋木, 木剋水, 水剋火

Fire brings water, water feeds wood, wood brings metal, metal brings fire

Fire melts metal, metal chops wood, wood drains water, water quenches fire

Nine Halls Diagram

卦名
Name
節氣
Solar Term
屬性
Elements
家族
Family
方位
Direction
顏色
Color
脈搏
Pulse
二進制
Binary
四馬與治療法
Four horses & Therapy
乾Winter Solstice 冬至太陽陽水(Water)父 Father北 North黑 Black沉 Deep11111太陽 ,寒者熱之00
兌Start of Winter 立冬太陽陰水(Water)長女 Eldest Daughter西北 North West藍 Blue沉 Deep11011太陽, 寒者熱之00
離 Autumn Equinox 秋分少陽陽木(Wood)中男Middle Son西 West綠 Green細 Small10110少陽, 涼者溫之01
震Start of Autumn 立秋少陽陰木(Wood)少女 Youngest Daughter西南 South West青 Cyan細 Small10010少陽, 涼者溫之01
坤 Summer Solstice 夏至太陰陰金(Metal)母 Mother南 South白 White浮 Float00000太陰, 熱者寒之11
艮Start of Summer 立夏太陰陽金(Metal)長男 Eldest Son東南 South East黃 Yellow浮 Float00100太陰, 熱者寒之11
坎 Spring Equinox 春分少陰陰火(Fire)中女 Middle Daughter東 East洋紅 Magenta大 Big01001少陰, 溫者涼之10
巽Start of Spring 立春少陰陽火(Fire)少男 Youngest Son東北 North East丹 Red大 Big01101少陰, 溫者涼之10

Cycles of elements in this chart: 生(Generative/Counter-clockwise),剋(Destructive/Clockwise)

水生木,木生金,金生火,火生水
水剋火,火剋金,金剋木,木剋水

Water feeds wood, wood brings metal, metal brings fire, fire brings water

Water quenches fire, fire melts metal, metal chops wood, wood drains water

Bagua used in Feng Shui

The Bagua is an essential tool in the majority of Feng Shui schools. The Bagua used in Feng shui can appear in two different versions: the Earlier Heaven Bagua, used for burial sites, and the Later Heaven Bagua, used for the residences.

Orthodox Bagua

In the Chinese orthodoxy culture, five elements does not exist. In the ancient China, Chinese people created four elements theory as the earliest theory of Bagua. Historian expert from Hong Kong discovered the genuine versions of eight trigram should be follow the rule of clockwise Gold (Spring), Wood (Summer), Water (Autumn), Fire (Winter). Another Bagua must following Spring (Fire), Summer (Gold), Autumn (Wood), Winter (Water). Both Xiantian Bagua and Houtian Bagua were counterfeited versions promoted by Confucianisms.[7]

Xiantian Bagua

In Xiantian Bagua, also known as Fu Xi Bagua or Earlier Heaven Bagua, the Heaven is in the higher part and the Earth is in the lower part. The trigram Qian (Heaven) is at the top, the trigram Kun (Earth) is at the bottom (in the past, the South was located at the top in Chinese maps). The trigram Li (Fire) is located on the left and opposite to it is the trigram Kan (Water). Zhen (Thunder) and Xun (Wind) form another pair, while being one opposite the other, the first on the bottom left next to Li while the second is next to Qian on the top right of the Bagua. Gen (Mountain) and Dui (Lake) form the last pair, one opposite the other, both in balance and harmony. The adjustment of the trigrams is symmetrical by forming exact contrary pairs. They symbolize the opposite forces of Yin and Yang and represent an ideal state, when everything is in balance.

Houtian Bagua

The sequence of the trigrams in Houtian Bagua, also known as the Bagua of King Wen or Later Heaven Bagua, describes the patterns of the environmental changes. Kan is placed downwards and Li at the top, Zhen in the East and Dui in the West. Contrary to the Earlier Heaven Bagua, this one is a dynamic Bagua where energies and the aspects of each trigram flow towards the following. It is the sequence used by the Luo Pan compass which is used in Feng Shui to analyze the movement of the Qi that allegedly affects us.

Western Bagua

Feng shui was made very popular in the Occident thanks to the Bagua of the eight aspirations. Each trigram corresponds to an aspect of life which, in its turn, corresponds to one of the cardinal directions. Applying feng shui using the Bagua of the eight aspirations (or Bagua map for short) made it possible to simplify feng shui and to bring it within the reach of everyone. Western Bagua focuses more heavily on the power of intention than the traditional forms of feng shui.[8]

Masters of traditional feng shui disregard this approach,[9] for its simplicity, because it does not take into account the forms of the landscape or the temporal influence or the annual cycles. The Bagua of the eight aspirations is divided into two branches: the first, which uses the compass and cardinal directions, and the second, which uses the Bagua by using the main door. It is clear that, not taking into account the cardinal directions, the second is even more simplified.

Bagua map

A bagua map is a tool used in Western forms of feng shui to map a room or location and see how the different sections correspond to different aspects in one's life. These sections are believed to relate to every area or aspect of life and are divided into such categories as: fame, relationships/marriage, children/creativity, helpful people/travel, career, inner knowledge, family/ancestors/health, and wealth/blessings.

In this system, the map is intended to be used over the land, one's home, office or desk to find areas lacking good chi, and to show where there are negative or missing spaces that may need rectifying or enhancing in life or the environment.

For example, if the bagua grid is placed over the entire house plan and it shows the toilet, bathroom, laundry, or kitchen in the wealth/blessings area it would be considered that the money coming into that particular environment would disappear very fast, as if to be 'going down the drain.'

A Tibetan "Mystic Tablet" containing the Eight Trigrams on top of a large tortoise (presumably, alluding to the animal that presented them to Fu Xi), along with the 12 signs of Chinese zodiac, and a smaller tortoise carrying the Lo Shu Square on its shell

In Unicode

The bagua symbols are in the Miscellaneous Symbols block of Unicode:

Miscellaneous Symbols Unicode block
Official NameGlyphUnicode #HTML
Trigram for Heaven☰U+2630☰
Trigram for Lake☱U+2631☱
Trigram for Fire☲U+2632☲
Trigram for Thunder☳U+2633☳
Trigram for Wind☴U+2634☴
Trigram for Water☵U+2635☵
Trigram for Mountain☶U+2636☶
Trigram for Earth☷U+2637☷

In culture

In Peking Opera, a role that has Taoist technique or military strategy wears a costume decorated with Taiji and Bagua.

Baguazhang and Taijiquan are two Chinese martial arts based on principles derived from bagua.

Other adoptions

See also

References

  1. CHEN, Xin (tr. Alex Golstein). The Illustrated Canon of Chen Family Taijiquan, INBI Matrix Pty Ltd, 2007. page 11. (accessed on Scribd.com, December 14, 2009.)
  2. Wilhelm, Richard (1950). The I Ching or Book of Changes. translated by Cary F. Baynes, forward by C. G. Jung, preface to 3rd ed. by Hellmut Wilhelm (1967). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. pp. 266, 269. ISBN 069109750X.
  3. TSUEI, Wei. Roots of Chinese culture and medicine Archived 2012-08-12 at the Wayback Machine Chinese Culture Books Co., 1989.
  4. ZONG, Xiao-Fan and Liscum, Gary. Chinese Medical Palmistry: Your Health in Your Hand, Blue Poppy Press, 1999.
  5. "Extraordinary Master-Coupled Theory and Applications". theory.yinyanghouse.com.
  6. Wilhelm, R. & Baynes, C., (1967): "The I Ching or Book of Changes", With foreword by Carl Jung, Introduction, Bollingen Series XIX, Princeton University Press, (1st ed. 1950)
  7. Chun Ming Chan,《由《輔行訣臟腑用藥法要》到香港當代新經學》,Amazon,
  8. Cisek, Jan. Feng Shui London blog, 2007.
  9. Moran, Elizabeth and Master Yu, Joseph. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui, 3rd Edition, Penguin, 2005.
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