Trigrams are symbols of Chinese cosmology derived from Yin Yang and making up the divinatory hexagrams of I Ching. They represent the growth of Yin and Yang in space and time.
Origin
The eight trigrams come from the Yi Jing, the book of mutations.
“Tai Ji (太极) gives birth to the two Yi (两儀), Yi gives rise to four Xiang (四象), the four Xiang gives rise to the eight trigrams (八卦) and the understanding of the universe through the eight trigrams”
Etymology
In Chinese 八卦 bā guà, eight trigrams. 八 bā means eight and 卦 guà trigram. The ideogram 卦 guà is composed of two radicals: Guī 圭, meaning mound of earth”, which was used to measure the shadows of the sun’s path and 卜 Bǔ which means observing, predicting, foreseeing but also divination.
The formation of the eight trigrams
1- The two Yi – Yin Yang
The primordial movement manifests itself in TaiJi in two modalities: Yin and Yang.
Yin is rest, the earthly aspect, the obscure, the feminine, the passive. It is represented by a broken line.
Yang is activity, the celestial aspect, the luminous, the masculine. It is represented by a solid line.
These are the two Yi, the two principles.
2 – The four images
The two Yi generate the four Xiang phenomena.
Two of them are obtained by adding a Yin line under each of the two Yi. These are Tai Yin (Big Yin) and Shao Yin (small Yin). The other two are obtained by adding a Yang line under each of the two Yi. These are Tai Yang (Big Yang) and Shao Yang (small Yang).
These four phenomena represent aspects of the universe in motion, of the principle of space and time.
- Shao Yang represents fire, the rising sun, the east, spring.
- Tai Yang represents the sky, the midday sun, the south, summer.
- Shao Yin represents water, the setting sun, the west, autumn.
- Tai Yin represents the earth. the setting sun, the north, winter.
This order represents the growth and decline of energy.
3 – The eight trigrams
Four trigrams are obtained by adding a Yin line under each of the four Xiang. These are the trigrams ☷坤 Kun, ☶艮 Gen, ☵坎 Kan, ☴巽 Xun.
The other four trigrams are obtained by adding a Yang line under each of the other Xiangs. These are the trigrams ☳震 zhen, ☲離 Li, ☱兌 Dui and ☰乾 Qian.
The four Yang trigrams
These four trigrams represent the growth of the activity of Yang and the weakening of that of Yin. They are related to the sky, light, fire, heat. Yang trigrams all have the first bottom line which is Yang.
- The trigram ☳ 震 Zhen represents thunder, the beginning of yang activity, the rising sun, the North East, the announcement of spring.
- The trigram ☲ 離 Li represents fire, the rising sun, the east, spring.
- The trigram ☱ 兌 Dui originally represents hot luminous vapors, then a lake or marsh, the morning sun, the southeast. the announcement of the summer.
- The trigram ☰ 乾 Qian represents the sky, the midday sun, the south, summer.
The four Yin trigrams
These four hexagrams are formed by adding a Yin line. They represent the weakening of the activity of Yang and the growth of that of Yin. They are related to the Earth, darkness, water, cold. Yin trigrams all have the first line at the bottom which is Yin.
- The trigram ☴ 巽 Xun represents the wind, the afternoon sun, the southwest, the announcement of autumn.
- The trigram ☵ 坎 Kan represents water, the setting sun, the west, autumn.
- The trigram ☶ 艮 Gen represents the mountain, the setting sun, the north, winter.
- The trigram ☷ 坤 Kun represents the earth, the setting sun, the north, winter.
Reading trigrams
Trigrams are read and drawn from bottom to top.
- The first line represents Earth.
- The second section represents Man.
- The third line represents Heaven.
Each trigram symbolizes the trinity of Heaven, Earth, Man with the combinations of Yin and Yang.
Attributes of the eight trigrams:
- ☰ Qian 乾 – Heaven, the receptive, Father, Yang, metal element.
- ☳ Zhen 震 – Thunder, the awakener, Yang, the eldest son, Wood element.
- ☵ Kan 坎 – Water, the unfathomable, the middle son, Yin, water element.
- ☶ Gen 艮 – Mountain, stillness, youngest son, Yang, Earth element.
- ☴ Xun 巽 – Wind, the gentle one, the eldest daughter, Yin, Wood element.
- ☲ Li 離 – Fire, that which attaches, Middle daughter, Yin, Fire element.
- ☱ Dui 兌 – Swamp, Lake, the happy one, the youngest daughter, Yin, metal element.
- ☷ Kun 坤 – Earth; The receptive, Mother, Yin, Earth element.