Ci Yuan Feng Shui

The
Eight
Trigrams

The Eight Trigrams

Copyright 2011
All rights reserved worldwide.
First Edition May 2011
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The Eight Trigrams

There are two forms of trigrams sequences, namely:

1.

The Early Heaven Trigram ( ) arrangement, and

2.

The Later Heaven Trigram ( ) arrangement.

According to ancient Chinese mythology, The Early Heaven Trigram was invented by
the emperor Fu Xi ( ).
Thereafter, it was re-arranged by King Wen ( ), which is called The Later
Heaven Trigram.

Emperor Fu Xi ( ) - The Early Heaven Trigram ( )

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King Wen ( ) - The Later Heaven Trigram ( )

Formation of The Eight Trigrams

This philosophy of formation were described by Fuxi saying that:

The Limitless produces the Absolute, the Taiji produces two forms; the two forms
produce four phenomena, the four phenomena act on the eight trigrams.
Another philosophical description of the source is the following, attributed to King
Wen of the 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 gua are their sons and daughters ".
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Song to memorize The Eight Trigram

QIAN 3 lines

KUN 6 lines

DUI upper lack

XUN lower
break

LI center empty

KAN center full

ZHEN like cup

KEN overturn
bowl

In order to memorise The Eight Trigram easily, researchers have came out this song.
This song is actually short phrases to describe how each trigram is being drawn
individually.
For instance, Qian is drawn with 3 horizontal lines, hence it is called ' QIAN 3 lines
( ) '; KUN is drawn with 6 short horizontal lines, hence it is called ' KUN 6
lines ( ) ', etc.
By memorising these short phrases, we will be able to write out The Eight Trigrams
easily.

Trigram

The solid line represents yang, the creative principle.

The open line represents yin, the receptive principle.
These principles are also represented in a common circular symbol, known as Taiji,
but more commonly known in the west as the yin-yang diagram, expressing the idea
of complementarily of changes: when Yang is at top, Yin is increasing, and the reverse.

Yang

Yin

Tai Ji
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The Early Heaven Trigram

The Early Heaven Trigram arrangement by Fu Xi is also known as Fu Xi Trigram

( ) or The Primordial Bagua ( ).
It represents symbolically the meanings of opposites relating to Heaven and Earth.

The Heaven is in the higher part and the Earth is in the lower part.
Li and Kan on the left and right hand side form a pair.
Zhen and Xun form another pair, while being one opposite the other, 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.
This arrangement based ONLY on the equilibrium between Heaven and the Universe.
It did not take into the consideration the on the changes of the environmental
conditions and the elements became hostile.
It also shows that during that time, the equilibrium of The Early Heaven was disturbed
and troubles brewed.
It is marked by the absence of motion and progress.
In Feng Shui, The Early Heaven Trigrams is used for burial sites.
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The Early Heaven Trigram can be memorized using our palm

The Early Heaven Trigram can memorize from our palm easily as shown in the figure.
Each trigram is allocated to their position. By memorizing these positions on our palm,
we will know the arrangement of The Early Heaven Trigram.

The Later Heaven Trigram

The Later Heaven Trigram arrangement was changed and amended by the legendary
King Wen who re-arranged the trigrams to incorporate the eight directions in the
Ba Gua.
It is also known also King Wen Trigram ( ) or Dynamic Bagua ( ).
This is because The Later Heaven arrangement is closely related to the Luo-shu nine
stars.
This trigram depicts an evolving and ever-changing universe.
It describes the world where time and matter interact and exert their influence upon
the living.
It also describes the cycle of movement that allows progress.
In Feng Shui, The Later Heaven Trigrams is used for the residences.
The Later Heaven Trigram 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 Early Heaven Trigram, this one is a dynamic trigram 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 affects us.

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The Later Heaven Trigram can be memorized using our palm

The Later Heaven Trigram can memorize from our palm easily as shown in the figure.
Each trigram is allocated to their position. By memorizing these positions on our palm,
we will know the arrangement of The Later Heaven Trigram.

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Trigram of the eight aspirations

In The Eight Trigrams, each trigram corresponds to an aspect of life which, in its turn,
corresponds to one of the cardinal directions.
Applying feng shui using the trigram of the eight aspirations made it possible to
simplify feng shui and to bring it within the reach of everyone.
The Trigram is the basic tool for Feng Shui analysis.
When a Feng Shui analysis is performed, the practitioner refers to these basic concepts
to analyze the situation within each area of the building.
From this representation, the basis of the mathematical calculations are found.
In other words, it is a tool for calculation the attributes of a building, not a general
overlay to be used on a floor plan.
Additionally, the trigrams hold the keys to understanding the who or what is effected
by the Feng Shui of a building.
Even beyond that, certain personalities can be found in the trigrams relating to both
people and their buildings.

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