Bagua

The bagua is a set of symbols from China intended to illustrate the nature of reality as comprising mutually opposing forces reinforcing one another. Bagua is a group of trigrams—composed of three lines, each either "broken" or "unbroken", which represent yin and yang, respectively. Each line having two possible states allows for a total of 2³ = 8 trigrams, whose early enumeration and characterization in China has had an effect on the history of Chinese philosophy and cosmology.
The trigrams are related to the divination practice as described within the I Ching and practiced as part of the Shang and Zhou state religion, as well as with the concepts of taiji and the five elements within traditional Chinese metaphysics. The trigrams have correspondences in astronomy, divination, meditation, astrology, geography, geomancy, anatomy, decorative arts, the family, martial arts, Chinese medicine and elsewhere.
The bagua can appear singly or in combination, and is commonly encountered in two different arrangements: the Primordial, "Earlier Heaven", or "Fuxi" bagua, which is so named according the legend of Fuxi being the first primordial being to identify the eight trigrams; and the Manifested, "Later Heaven", or "King Wen" bagua, which arose recorded Chinese history.
In the I Ching, two trigrams are stacked together to create a six-line figure known as a hexagram. There are 64 possible permutations. The 64 hexagrams and their descriptions make up the book. The trigram symbolism can be used to interpret the hexagram figure and text. An example from Hexagram 19 commentary is "The earth above the lake: The image of Approach. Thus the superior man is inexhaustible in his will to teach, and without limits in his tolerance and protection of the people." The trigrams have been used to organize Yijing charts as seen below.

Trigrams

There are eight possible combinations to render the various trigrams:

Trigram figure

Possible binary value

Possible decimal sequential number

Name

Translation: Wilhelm

Image in nature

Phase

Later Heaven's Direction

Later Heaven's Equinox or Solstice

Earlier Heaven's Direction

Earlier Heaven's Equinox or Solstice

Family relationship

Body part

Attribute

Stage/ state

Animal

Obtained Images

111

c=乾

the Creative, ' force'

heaven, sky
天

metal

northwest

south

Summer Solstice

father

head

strong, persisting

creative

馬
horse

三連
three lines

110

兌

the Joyous, 'open '

lake, marsh
澤

metal

west

Fall Equinox

southeast

third daughter

mouth

pleasure

tranquil

羊
sheep, goat

上缺
flawed above

101

離

the Clinging, 'radiance'

fire, glow
火

fire

south

Summer Solstice

east

Spring Equinox

second daughter

eye

light-giving, humane "dependence"

clinging, clarity, adaptable

雉
pheasant

中虛
hollow middle

100

震

the Arousing, 'shake'

thunder
雷

wood

east

Spring Equinox

northeast

first son

foot

inciting movement

initiative

龍
dragon

仰盂
face-up jar

011

巽

the Gentle, 'ground'

wind, air
風

wood

southeast

southwest

first daughter

thigh

penetrating

gentle entrance

雞
fowl

下斷
broken below

010

坎

the Abyssal, 'gorge'

water
水

water

north

Winter Solstice

west

Fall Equinox

second son

ear

dangerous

in-motion

豕
pig

中滿
full middle

001

艮

Keeping Still, bound

mountain
山

earth

northeast

northwest

third son

hand

resting, stand-still

completion

狗
dog

覆碗
face-down bowl

000

坤

the Receptive, field

ground, earth
地

earth

southwest

north

Winter Solstice

mother

belly

devoted, yielding

receptive

牛
cow

六斷
six fragments

Relation to other principles

The Scripture of Changes 易經 (I Ching) listed two sources for the eight trigrams. Its chapter explains the first source thus:

Tài Jí (太極) Great Axis

Taiji is the encapsulation of all the universe, space and time.
It is derived from Wújí 無極 the formless, dimensionless, limitless, unbounded, infinite void.
When the formless void began to stir and move, Taiji came into being.

Liǎng Yí (兩儀) Dual Powers

The beginning of the universe begot the twin forces:

⚋ yīn dark, original, central, passive
⚊ yáng bright, extreme, furthest, active

Sì Xiàng (四像) Four Aspects

The twin powers produce four aspects named:

⚌ great yang 太陽 tàiyáng
⚎ lesser yang 少陽 shǎoyáng
⚍ lesser yin 少陰 shǎoyīn
⚏ great yin 太陰 tàiyīn

The four aspects are the differing levels of energy in world. Primarily they are associated with the solar terms, the two solstices and the two equinoxes. Being aspects they are also associated with the four main compass directions. Each direction is associated with a level of solar energy, and a mythological animal.

⚌ great yang 太陽 tàiyáng, Summer Solstice, South, Red Bird
⚎ lesser yang 少陽 shǎoyáng, Spring Equinox, East, Blue Dragon
⚍ lesser yin 少陰 shǎoyīn, Fall Equinox, West, White Tiger
⚏ great yin 太陰 tàiyīn, Winter Solstice, North, Black Tortoise

Bā Guà (八卦) Eight Passages

The four phenomena act through the eight gates :

☰ Heaven p=Qián, warming
☳ Thunder p=Zhèn, storming
☵ Water p=Kǎn, pooling
☶ Mountain p=Gèn, jutting
☴ Wind p=Xùn, dispersing
☲ Fire p=Lí, dancing
☱ Lake p=Duì, engulfing
☷ Earth p=Kūn, resting

Another chapter, p=Shuō Guà, characterizes the relationship of the trigrams as being:

p=Qián ☰ Heaven, Father
p=Kūn ☷ Earth, Mother

who have three sons:

p=Zhèn ☳ Thunder, 1st Son
p=Kǎn, ☵ Water, 2nd Son
p=Gèn ☶ Mountain, 3rd Son

and have three daughters:

p=Xùn ☴ Wind, 1st Daughter
p=Lí ☲ Fire, 2nd Daughter
p=Duì ☱ Lake, 3rd Daughter

The son trigrams all have a single ⚊ yáng line in their formation. The Yang trigrams correspond to odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7.
The daughter trigrams all have a single ⚋ yīn line in their formation. The Yin trigrams correspond to even numbers 0, 2, 4, 6.
Their ordering is from bottom line, mid line, top line.

Wǔxíng (五行) Five Phases

The trigrams are related to the five phases of the Wuxing. The phases are: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal.
The major qualities associated with the 5 phases are:

Water - Receding
Fire - Bursting
Earth - Resting
Wood - Growing
Metal - Contracting

These qualities are associated with the seasons.

Water is associated with mid winter, the time of lowest energy.
Fire is associated with mid summer, the time of highest energy.
Earth is the pivot or balanced energy, either given as late summer, or as a brief transitional period between the seasons, where they are neither obviously one quality or the next.
Wood is associated with the spring time, burst with life and increasing sunshine.
Metal with the fall, life is slowing down, the days are shortening, and both men and creatures are taking precaution by storing food, and preparing for winter.

Typically the trigram-to-phase correspondences are given as follows:

The phase of Water 水 only corresponds with the trigram of the Deep p=Kǎn.
The phase of Fire 火 only corresponds with the trigram of Flame p=Lí.
The phase of Earth or Soil 土 corresponds with the trigrams of Earth p=Kūn and Mountain p=Gèn.
The phase of Wood 木 corresponds with the trigrams of Wind p=Xùn and Thunder p=Zhèn.
The phase of Metal or Gold 金 corresponds with the trigrams of Heaven p=Qián and Lake p=Duì.

Notably, more than just their seasonal correspondence, the elements have interactions with each other and relationships of promoting and subverting other elements, as well as reversals where there is insufficiency in one element, resulting in an unbalanced relationship giving unexpected results where it should normally promote or subvert another element, but gives the opposite effect.
The wuxing and its promoting/subverting relationship system is also used as a frame work for understanding the relationships in spacial features in feng shui as well as the relationships between the organ systems in traditional Chinese medicine.

''Liùshísì Guà'' (六十四卦) Sixty-Four Hexagrams

Eight trigrams stacked atop another eight trigrams give sixty-four variations of hexagrams, with the dominant quality above, and the secondary quality below. These sixty four hexagrams make up the main body of the Yijing oracle used for divination. The Yijing itself gives a pithy explanation for each hexagram.
The ways can be thought of as eight main expectations, and each variation is an outcome either typical, inverted; promoted, subverted; nurtured, neglected; surprised or disappointed; depending on circumstance. The sixty-four hexagrams give many possibility for how an endeavor may turn out.
Diviners consulting the Yijing oracle use a variety of methods to elicit a response from the oracle, such as throwing yarrow stalks, tossing coins, pulling cards from a deck, or consulting exterior signs, such as examining the shapes of sacrificed animal entrails, examining the cracking patterns of bones tossed into a fire, observing the flight path of startled birds, etc.

[Fuxi]'s "Earlier Heaven"

Name 卦名	Nature 自然	Season 季節	Personality 性情	Family 家族	Direction 方位	Meaning 意義
	天 Sky, Heaven	Summer	Creative	父 Father	南 South	健 Expansive energy, the sky. For further information, see tiān.
	風 Wind	Summer	Gentle	長女 Eldest Daughter	西南 Southwest	入 Gentle penetration, flexibility.
	水 Water	Autumn	Deep	中男 Middle Son	西 West	陷 Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon.
	山 Mountain	Autumn	Still	少男 Youngest Son	西北 Northwest	止 Stillness, immovability.
	地 Earth	Winter	Receptive	母 Mother	c=北 North	順 Receptive energy, that which yields. For further information, see dì.
	雷 Thunder	Winter	Arousing	長男 Eldest Son	東北 Northeast	動 Excitation, revolution, division.
	火 Fire	Spring	Clinging	中女 Middle Daughter	東 East	麗 Rapid movement, radiance, the sun.
	澤 Lake	Spring	Joyous	少女 Youngest Daughter	東南 Southeast	悅 Joy, satisfaction, stagnation.

King Wen's "Later Heaven"

Name 卦名	Nature 自然	Season 季節	Personality 性情	Family 家族	Direction 方位	Meaning 意義
	火 Fire	Summer	Clinging	中女 Middle Daughter	南 South	麗 Pulsing motion, radiance, the luminaries.
	地 Earth	Summer	Receptive	母 Mother	西南 Southwest	順 Receptive energy, that which yields.
	澤 Lake	Autumn	Joyous	少女 Youngest Daughter	西 West	悅 Joy, satisfaction, stagnation.
	天 Heaven	Autumn	Creative	父 Father	西北 Northwest	健 Expansive energy, the sky.
	水 Water	Winter	Abyssal	中男 Middle Son	北 North	陷 Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon.
	山 Mountain	Winter	Still	少男 Youngest Son	東北 Northeast	止 Stillness, immovability.
	雷 Thunder	Spring	Arousing	長男 Eldest Son	東 East	動 Excitation, revolution, division.
	風 Wind	Spring	Gentle	長女 Eldest Daughter	東南 Southeast	入 Gentle penetration, flexibility.

In feng shui

The bagua is a 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 residences.

Pre-Natal ''Bagua''

Primordial bagua is also known as Fuxi bagua or Earlier Heaven bagua. Named after the mythological first emperor of China. In the Preface of Shang Shu by Kong Anguo, he writes that "In ancient times, Fuxi ruled the whole world. It was he who began to draw Eight Trigrams and to create Scripts in order to substitute the system of tying knots." In traditional Chinese medicine, this sequence is known as the prenatal sequence and is used to understand familial risk for illness or disease, similar to western medicine's understanding of formative medicine and the study of genetics. The Heaven trigram is at the top, the Earth trigram is at the bottom of the bagua. The Fire trigram is located on the left, while the Water trigram is on the right. Thunder and wind form another pair, being the opposites of each other; the first is on the bottom left next to fire, while the second is next to Heaven on the top right of the bagua. Mountain and Lake form the last pair, with one opposite to the other. The adjustment of the trigrams is symmetrical by forming exact contrary pairs. They symbolize the opposite forces of Yin and Yang and represent a state in which everything is in balance.

Post-Natal ''Bagua''

The sequence of trigrams in the Later Heaven bagua is attributed to King Wen. It is also known as the postnatal bagua arrangement in traditional Chinese medicine; it is used to understand physical, emotional and environmental patterns that influence health or disease, similarly to western medicine's inquiry into functional medical science. In this arrangement, Water is placed downwards and Fire at the top; Thunder is in the East, while Lake is in the West. Contrary to the Earlier Heaven bagua, the Later Heaven bagua is dynamic; energies and the aspects of each of its trigrams flow towards the following. It is the sequence used by the Luo Pan compass, which is used in feng shui and referred to as the manifest pattern; it analyzes the movement of the qi that practitioners believe affect them.

Western ''bagua''

The popularity of feng shui increased in the West because of the bagua of the eight aspirations. Each trigram corresponds to an aspect of life that also corresponds to one of the cardinal directions. Applying feng shui using the bagua of the eight aspirations made it possible to simplify feng shui and to use it for the general public. Western bagua focuses more heavily on intention than the traditional forms of feng shui.
Experienced practicers of traditional feng shui disregard Western bagua for its simplicity, since it does not take into account the forms of the landscape, time, 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.

''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 categories such 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 spaces that may need rectifying or enhancing in life or the environment.
For example, if the bagua grid is placed over an entire house plan and it shows the toilet, bathroom, laundry, or kitchen in the wealth/blessings area of the map, it would be said that the money coming into that particular environment would disappear very fast.

In Unicode

The bagua symbols in the Miscellaneous Symbols block of Unicode include the following:

Official name	Glyph	Unicode #	HTML	Element
Trigram for Heaven	☰	U+2630	☰	Metal
Trigram for Lake	☱	U+2631	☱	Metal
Trigram for Fire	☲	U+2632	☲	Fire
Trigram for Thunder	☳	U+2633	☳	Wood
Trigram for Wind	☴	U+2634	☴	Wood
Trigram for Water	☵	U+2635	☵	Water
Trigram for Mountain	☶	U+2636	☶	Earth
Trigram for Earth	☷	U+2637	☷	Earth

The Miscellaneous Symbols block also encodes the constituents ⚊ and ⚋, as well as the digrams ⚌, ⚍, ⚎, and ⚏.
The hexagrams they form are separately encoded in the Yijing Hexagram Symbols Unicode block.

Modern usage

In traditional Chinese medicine, including the profession of acupuncture, the Earlier Heaven and Later Heaven arrangements are used to understand the pathogenesis of disease or illness and to select treatment plans specifically related and tailored to a patient's constitution.
The Flag of South Korea has the four cardinal trigrams surrounding the taegeuk, or taijitu. These are specific representations of the movement and harmony of yin and yang. These trigrams were also depicted on the commissioning pennant of the South Korean Navy.