Bagua 八卦 (Eight trigrams)

This page is excerpted from F. Pregadio, Dictionary of Taoist Internal Alchemy (Brill, 2025).

Translation

Eight trigrams.

Definition(s)

▣ Eight emblems at the basis of the Yijing (Book of Changes), formed by different combinations of three solid (Yang) or broken (Yin) lines. Their names and graphic representations are: [1] Qian 乾 ☰; [2] Dui 兌 ☱; [3] Li 離 ☲; [4] Zhen 震 ☳; [5] Xun 巽 ☴; [6] Kan 坎 ☵; [7] Gen 艮 ☶; [8] Kun 坤 ☷. See the respective entries. As shown below, in Chinese cosmology and in Neidan the eight trigrams are used to represent different aspects of the cosmos, explicitly or implicitly illustrating their relation to Unity (yi).

▣ Eight emblems that represent one of the stages in the sequence leading from Unity to the “ten thousand things” (wanwu, multiplicity). In the Yijing, this sequence is represented as 1 → 2 → 4 → 8. In Neidan, reversing this sequence is one of the ways to represent the return to Unity.

🕮 YJ Xici: In the Changes there is the Great Ultimate (taiji, Unity). This generates the two principles (liangyi). The two principles generate the four images (sixiang). The four images generate the eight trigrams. 易有太極，是生兩儀，兩儀生四象，四象生八卦。 ⦿ RYJ 8 Comm. Wang Jie: The greatness of Heaven and Earth, and the depth of creation and transformation (zaohua), lies in the fact that the five agents (wuxing) part and distribute themselves, and that the eight trigrams arrange themselves in a ring. By which art can you steal them and seize them, cause them to gather and bring them together? 天地之大，造化之深，五行分布，八卦環列，以何術能盜之奪之，攢之會之？

▣ Eight emblems that represent the properties or qualities of any entity or phenomenon. According to the Book of Changes, they were created for this reason.

🕮 YJ Xici: When in early antiquity Bao Xi (i.e., Fu Xi) ruled the world, he looked upward and contemplated the images in Heaven, he looked downward and contemplated the models on the Earth. . . . Thus he was the first to make the eight trigrams. Through them he communicated with the virtue of Numinous Light and classified the qualities of the ten thousand things. 古者包犧氏之王天下也，仰則觀象於天，俯則觀法於地。. . . 於是始作八卦，以通神明之德，以類萬物之情。

▣ Eight emblems that represent different states of Yin and Yang. [1] Qian ☰ represents precelestial True Yang, or Pure Yang. [2] Dui ☱ represents the balance of Yin and Yang during the growth of Yang. [3] Li ☲ represents postcelestial Yang containing precelestial True Yin. [4] Zhen ☳ represents True Yang at the incipient state. [5] Xun ☴ represents True Yin at the incipient state. [6] Kan ☵ represents postcelestial Yin containing precelestial True Yang. [7] Gen ☶ represents the balance of Yin and Yang during the growth of Yin. [8] Kun ☷ represents precelestial True Yin, or Pure Yin.

▣ Eight emblems that represent the Yin and Yang aspects of the five agents (wuxing).

⦿ WZP LS 11 Comm. Liu Yiming: The eight trigrams are the Yin and Yang aspects of the four images (sixiang) and the five agents. Qian ☰ is the Yang Metal, and Dui ☱ is the Yin Metal. Kan ☵ is the Yang Water, and Gen ☶ is the Yin Water. Zhen ☳ is the Yang Wood, and Xun ☴ is the Yin Wood. Li ☲ is the Yang Fire, and Kun ☷ is the Yin Fire. While the eight trigrams match [in this way] the Yin and Yang of the four images, kun and gen in addition possess the two Soils (ertu), namely wu and ji: kun is the Yin Soil, and gen is the Yang Soil. Thus the Breaths (qi) of the five agents are within them. 八卦者，即四象五行之陰陽：乾陽金，兌陰金；坎陽水，艮陰水；震陽木，巽陰木；離陽火，坤陰火。八卦雖配四象陰陽，而坤艮又具戊己二土：坤為陰土，艮為陽土。五行之氣，亦在其中。

▣ Eight emblems that represent different segments in the cycle of time and the compass of space.

⦿ CTQ 14: The eight trigrams spread out among the constellations; in rotating they shift, but never take leave of the Center. 八卦布列曜，運移不失中。

Related Terms

☞ Gua 卦; Hui bagua 會八卦

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