The eight trigrams - Ba Gua - another basic principle in Feng Shui
The eight trigrams are fundamental units which form the background for the 64 hexagrams of Yijing (Book of changes). Each trigram expresses different ways in which the energy moves and changes. They have been widely used not only in Feng Shui but also in other disciplines of the Chinese culture, such as: phylosophy, astrology, traditional medicine, numerology, martial arts, mathemathics.
It is important to understand the sense of the trigrams in order to reach an understanding of the ways changes happen in nature and in each of us.
Chinese have carefully studied the changes of the energy (qi) passing by the yin and yang phases, as well as the transformations correlated with the five elements which have been described in the previous articles. The deep analysis of these changes which are permanently related to each other, lead the wise people to the creation of a symetrical model which represents all possible situations to be found in the nature and in the human relationships, called the eight trigrams – Ba Gua.
Ba Gua (in phonetical transcription Pa Kua) should be understoof as symbols representing the transition phases of all the situations in the universe. They are represented like an octogon around which the eight trigrams are arranged, in a specific order.
The eight trigrams are generated by the dynamic interaction between Yin and Yang, represented by an interrupted line and a continuous line, respectively. Eight is the maximum number of line combinations for yin and yang, taken 3 at once.
The trigrams are built from the base. The bottom line represents the earth, the middle one the human being and the top one, the heaven. Each symbol has been associated with a gender as well as other elements of nature: seasons, cardinal points, the five phases and the corresponding colours, parts of the human body, diseases and numbers. We will treat only those which are used in Feng Shui.
Qian - heaven – represents the father, husband, president or king, North West direction, metal and the colours associated to it (golden, silver, white), head and lungs as well as number 6. Qian is formed only by yang lines and is a pure yang force.
Zhen - thunder – is associated to the older son, East, wood and the colour green, legs and number 3.
Kan - water - represents the middle son or an adult man, North, water and the colours black and blue, ears, blood, kidneys and number 1.
Gen - mountain - is associated to the youngest son, North East, earth, colours brown and yellow, hands and legs and number 8.
Kun - earth - represents the mother, wife, grand mother or an old woman, South West, earth and the corresponding colours, belly and stomach, number 2. Being entirely formed by yin lines, Kun is a pure yin force.
Xun - wind - is associated to the eldest daughter, South East, wood and colour green, thighs and the lower part of the back, number 4.
Li - fire - represents the middle daughter or a woman of average age, South, fire and the colours red, orange, pink, violet, eyes and heart, number 9.
Dui - swamp - is in relationship with the youngest daughter or a young girl, West, metal and the corresponding colours, mouth and chest, number 7.
The understanding of the trigrams and their relationships with the elements exposed above is necessary for the moment when we get to study the principles of the eight houses, where they say every house is ruled by a trigram (therefore, by the energies associated to it).
In conclusion, we should not forget that although the eight trigrams are arranged around an octogon, this is not Ba Gua but only a graphic representation of this concept of the trigrams.
