Bagua Basics

Xiantian Bagua

Xiantian Bagua, also known as "Fuxi Bagua," embodies the order of cosmic creation.

Arrangement Order

    乾☰
  巽☴  兑☱
震☳      艮☶
  离☲  坎☵
    坤☷

Mnemonic: Qian three unbroken, Kun six broken, Zhen like an upward-facing bowl, Gen like an overturned bowl, Li empty in the middle, Kan full in the middle, Dui broken at the top, Xun broken at the bottom

Fuxi Bagua Diagram

Direction	Hexagram Image	Hexagram Name	Number
South	☰	Heaven	1
Southwest	☱	Lake	2
West	☲	Li	3
Northwest	☳	Zhen	4
Northeast	☴	Xun	5
East	☵	Kan	6
Southeast	☶	Gen	7
North	☷	Kun	8

Later Heaven Bagua

The Later Heaven Bagua, also known as "King Wen's Bagua," reflects the laws governing the operation of all things.

Later Heaven Bagua Orientation Chart

Direction	Hexagram Image	Hexagram Name	Five Elements	Number
South	☲	Li	Fire	9
Southwest	☷	Kun	Earth	2
West	☱	Lake	Metal	7
Northwest	☰	Heaven	Metal	6
North	☵	Kan	Water	1
Northeast	☶	Gen	Earth	8
East	☳	Zhen	Wood	3
Southeast	☴	Xun	Wood	4
Middle	-	-	Earth	5

Detailed Explanation of the Eight Trigrams

Qian Trigram ☰

• Attributes: Pure Yang, Strong and Vigorous
• Five Elements: Metal
• Weather: Ice, hail, sleet
• Direction: Northwest (Houtian), South (Xiantian), above, high places
• Symbolism: Heaven, ruler, father, horse, head, gold and jade, sun
• Characteristics: Strong, firm, active, proactive, creative
• Time: Autumn, 9th and 10th lunar months,戌, 亥 years, months, days, and hours, 45 days from Lidong to Daxue
• People: Monarch, Chairman, President, Leader, Father, Adult, Elder, Senior, Celebrity, Eunuch, Male, Old man
• Places: Capital, Metropolis, Strategic location, High ground
• Numbers: 1 (Xiantian trigram), 6 (Houtian trigram), 4, 9 (Five Elements Metal numbers)
• Animals: Horse, Elephant, Swan, Lion
• Still Life: Gold and Jade, Jewelry, Round Objects, Wooden Fruits, Hard Objects, Crowns, Mirrors
• Human Body: Head, Right Leg (9th House), Lungs, Bones, Male Genitalia
• Colors: White, Deep Red, Black
• Five Flavors: Pungent, Spicy

Kun Trigram ☷

• Attributes: Pure Yin, Gentle and Compliant
• Element: Earth
• Weather: Overcast, Fog, Ice and Frost
• Direction: Southwest (Houtian), North (Xiantian), Below, Bottom Layer
• Symbolism: Earth, Minister, Mother, Ox, Abdomen, Cloth
• Characteristics: Obedience, Gentleness, Inclusiveness, Bearing, Nurturing
• Time: Sixth and seventh lunar months, Wei and Shen years, months, days, and hours, Chen, Xu, Chou, and Wei five elements are earth years, months, days, and hours, 45 days from Lidong to Bailu
• People: Empress, First Lady, Staff, Masses, Mother, Grandmother, Old Mother, Old Woman, Crowd, Villagers, Petty Person, Pregnant Person, Cowardly Person, Stingy Person, Female, Elderly Woman
• Places: Field, Earth, Countryside, Flat Ground
• Numbers: 2 (Later Heaven Bagua number), 8 (Earlier Heaven Bagua number) 5, 10 (Five Elements Earth number)
• Animals: Ox, Mare, Cat, All Beasts
• Still Life: Cement, bricks and tiles, grains, cloth, silk floss, local products, soft objects, things from the earth, beef, food, large carts, pots
• Human Body: Abdomen, right shoulder (Jiugong position), spleen, stomach, muscles, female reproductive organs
• Colors: Yellow, black
• Five Flavors: Sweet, sugary

Zhen Trigram ☳

• Attribute: One yang at the bottom
• Five Elements: Wood
• Weather/Phenomena: Thunderstorms, thunder, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
• Direction: East (Houtian), Northeast (Xiantian)
• Symbolism: Thunder, eldest son, dragon, foot, bamboo and wood
• Characteristics: Movement, emergence, rising up, vibration
• Time: Second lunar month of spring, 45 days from Spring Equinox to Grain Rain, Mao year, month, day, hour
• People: The second-in-command in power, eldest son, driver, athlete, police officer, judge, soldier, pilot, train conductor, social activist, dancer, football enthusiast, madman, strongman
• Places: Factory, radio station, musical instrument store, amusement park, airport, launch site, train station, ballroom, karaoke bar, bustling market, battlefield, forest, lush vegetation
• Numbers: 4 (Innate Bagua number), 3 (Acquired Bagua number, Wood element number), 8 (Water element number)
• Animals: Dragon, snake, horses that are good at neighing, birds that are good at singing, all insects, carp
• Still Life: Books, bamboo, reeds, musical instruments, vegetables, fresh flowers, trees, telephones, airplanes, cars, rockets, firecrackers, alarm clocks, lush plants and flowers. Hooves, meat, mountain and forest game.
• Human Body: Feet, liver and gallbladder, left ribcage.
• Colors: Cyan, green, jade green.
• Five Flavors: Sour.

Xun Trigram ☴

• Attribute: One yin line at the bottom
• Five Elements: Wood
• Weather: Wind, typhoon, hurricane, tornado, etc
• Direction: Southeast (Later Heaven), Southwest (Earlier Heaven)
• Symbolism: Wind, free movement, permeability, eldest daughter, chicken, thigh, rope
• Characteristics: Entering, gentle, penetrating, spreading
• Time: Transition between spring and summer, third and fourth lunar months, Chen and Si years, months, days, hours, 45 days from Lixia to Mangzhong
• People: Eldest daughter, eldest daughter, tech personnel, teacher, monk/nun, immortal/Taoist, Qigong master, practitioner, businessman, scholar, salesperson, timber merchant, artisan, skilled craftsman, people with broad foreheads, people with fine, long, straight hair, indecisive people, freelancers
• Places: Post office, pipes, lines, narrow paths, corridors, long corridors, temples/monasteries, grasslands, bamboo forests, reed beds, elevators, conveyor belts
• Numbers: 5 (innate Bagua number), 4 (Nine Palaces number), 3, 8 (Wood element number)
• Animals: Chicken, duck, goose, butterfly, dragonfly, snake, earthworm, hairtail, eel, swamp eel, zebra, etc
• Still Life: Trees, wood, wooden products, fiber products, silk thread, rope, hemp, fan, dryer, airplane, balloon, hovercraft, sailboat, mosquito coil, agarwood, orchid, herbs, feathers, branches and leaves, belt, kelp, objects with an opening at the bottom
• Human Body: Thigh, upper arm, gallbladder, trachea, nerves, left shoulder (Jiugong position), vital energy for practice
• Colors: Green, blue
• Five Flavors: Sour

Kan Trigram ☵

• Attributes: One yang in the middle
• Element: Water
• Celestial Phenomena: Rain, thunder, dew, frost
• Direction: North (Later Heaven), West (Earlier Heaven)
• Symbolism: Water, moon, middle son, pig, ear, blood
• Characteristics: Danger, trap, fluidity, wisdom, difficulty, obstacles
• Time: Eleventh lunar month, Zi year, month, day, hour, 45 days from Winter Solstice to Great Cold
• People: Middle son, middle-aged man,江湖人 (people of the jianghu/rivers and lakes), boatman, thief, bandit, mathematician, doctor, lawyer, fugitive, underworld figure, swindler, laborer, drunkard, prostitute, water company personnel
• Places: Rivers, lakes, seas, ditches, canals, wells, springs, sewers, depressions, hotels, cold drink shops, bathrooms, bathhouses, aquariums, basements, darkrooms, water companies, fish ponds, restaurants, brothels
• Numbers: 1 (Nine Palaces number), 6 (Five Elements water number, one and six are water)
• Animals: Pigs, rats, foxes, waterfowl, fish, aquatic animals, horses with beautiful spines, hardworking horses, vertebrates
• Still Life: Oil, wine, vinegar, soy sauce, beverages, petroleum, medicines, waterwheels, wheels, instruments of torture, caltrops, thorns, stone fruits, refrigeration equipment, duckweed, submarines
• Human Body: Kidneys, bladder, urinary system, reproductive system, blood, endocrine system, ears, anus
• Colors: Black, or white (Xuan Kong Flying Stars colors: one white, two black, three jade, four green, five yellow, six white, seven red, eight white, nine purple)
• Five Flavors: Salty

Li Trigram ☲

• Attribute: One Yin in the middle
• Five Elements: Fire
• Celestial Phenomena: Sunny days, hot days, scorching heat, blazing sun, drought, rainbows, rosy clouds
• Direction: South (Houtian), East (Xiantian)
• Symbolism: Fire, middle daughter, pheasant, eye, armor, sun
• Characteristics: Brightness, beautiful nature and state, attachment, civilization
• Time: Summer, the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the year, month, day, and hour of the Horse, 45 days from the Summer Solstice to the Great Heat
• People: Middle-aged women, middle-level cadres, middle-tier figures, beauties, beauticians, literati, writers, artists, actors, stars, revolutionaries, soldiers, painters, editors, scouts, disciplinary inspectors
• Places: Sunny places, scenic spots and historical sites, holy places, churches, magnificent streets, cinemas, TV stations, art academies, art galleries, libraries, printing factories, advertising towers, tram stations, smelters, radiation rooms.
• Numbers: 3 (Innate Bagua number), 9 (Nine Palaces number), 2, 7 (Five Elements Fire number)
• Animals: Pheasant, peacock, phoenix, crane, shrimp, crab, snail, shellfish, soft-shelled turtle, turtle, "chameleon", firefly
• Still Objects: Characters, paintings, artworks, newspapers, periodicals, books, magazines, contracts, documents, agreements, letters, cameras, video cameras, VCRs, televisions, photocopiers, lighting fixtures, advertising awards, telegrams, comic strips, cosmetics, stoves, lighters, matches, barbecue items, welding torches, neon lights
• Human Body: Eyes, head, heart, small intestine
• Color: Red, crimson, variegated, purple (nine purple)
• Five Flavors: Bitter

Gen Trigram ☶

• Attribute: One Yang above
• Element: Earth
• Celestial Phenomena: Clouds, mist, mountain mist
• Direction: Northeast (Later Heaven), Northwest (Earlier Heaven)
• Symbolism: Mountain, youngest son, dog, hand, path
• Characteristics: State of stillness and stability, guarding, obstruction
• Time: Late winter and early spring, the twelfth and first lunar months, years, months, days, and hours of the Ox and Tiger, 45 days from the Beginning of Spring to the Awakening of Insects
• People: Young boys, teenagers, gatekeepers, youths, children, construction workers, religious figures, monks, bureaucrats, nobles, heirs, guards, gatekeepers, miners, prison guards, stonemasons, savings bank personnel
• Places: Mountains, hilly areas, hills, high platforms, dams, lounges, cemeteries, temples, houses, prisons, public security organs, police stations, buildings, city walls, warehouses, ancestral temples, ancestral halls, mines, quarries, banks, storage rooms
• Numbers: 7 (innate Bagua number), 8 (Nine Palaces number), 5, 10 (Five Elements Earth number)
• Animals: Dogs, tigers, rats, wolves, bears, cattle, and other animals with teeth and horns, as well as insects, reptiles, livestock, and other animals with tails
• Still Life: Rocks, hillsides, mounds, tombs, walls, door sills, steps, stairs, door panels, stone tablets, earthen beds, counters, tables, beds
• Human Body: Nose, back, fingers, joints, left leg (Jiugong position), toes, breasts, spleen, stomach, colon
• Colors: Yellow, brownish-yellow, coffee brown, white (eight white)
• Five Flavors: Sweet, sugary

Dui Trigram ☱

• Attribute: One yin above
• Five Elements: Metal
• Celestial Phenomena: Humid weather, low pressure, dew, continuous overcast and rainy days
• Direction: West (Houtian), Southeast (Xiantian)
• Symbolism: Marsh, rain, young girl, sheep, joy and speech, concubine
• Characteristics: Pleasure, speaking, disputes, joy
• Time: Eighth lunar month, Western year, month, day, hour, 45 days from Autumn Equinox to Frost's Descent
• Characters: Young girl, little girl, and professions related to the mouth, such as lecturer, professor, orator, guide, translator, wizard, fortune teller, matchmaker, reception staff, singer, musician, crosstalk performer, entertainment venue staff, courtesan, dentist, surgeon, etc.
• Locations: Swamps, canyons, depressions, lakes, ponds, ice rinks, amusement parks, conference rooms, concert halls, tea houses, restaurants, ruins, old houses, mountain passes, caves, wells
• Numbers: 2 (Innate Bagua number), 7 (Nine Palaces number), 4, 9 (Five Elements Metal numbers)
• Animals: Sheep, leopard, jackal, ape, water bird, rabbit, swamp animals, chicken and duck
• Still Life: Pomegranates, walnuts, eating utensils, containers with openings, swords, scissors, toys, broken items, trash cans, etc.
• Human Body: Mouth, tongue, teeth, throat, lungs, right hypochondrium (nine palaces position), anus, etc.
• Colors: White, or red (seven reds)
• Five Flavors: Pungent, spicy

Bagua Image Quick Reference Chart

Trigram	Nature	Animal	People	Body	Temperament	Color
Heaven	Sky, ice, hail	Horse, dragon, lion	Father, lord, official	Head, bone, lung	Strong, healthy	Gold, white
Kun	Earth, soil, plain	Ox, mare	Mother, minister, multitude	Abdomen, spleen, flesh	Gentle and obedient	Yellow, black
Zhen	Thunder, Earthquake	Dragon, Snake	Eldest Son	Foot, Liver	Movement, Restlessness	Blue, Green
Xun	Wind, Cloud	Chicken, Butterfly	Eldest daughter	Thigh, gallbladder	Modesty	Green, white
Kan	Water, rain, snow	Pig, fish, fox	Middle-aged man	Ear, kidney, blood	Wisdom, Danger	Black, Blue
Li	Fire, Sun, Electricity	Pheasant, Phoenix, Turtle	Middle-aged woman	Eyes, heart	Bright and beautiful	Red, purple
Gen	Mountain, Stone, Obstruction	Dog, Tiger, Rat	Young man	Hand, Nose, Back	Stop, still	Yellow, brown
Lake	Marsh, pool	Sheep, leopard	Maiden	Mouth, tongue, lungs	Pleasure, speak	White, gold

Paired Trigrams

Opposite Trigrams

• Qian ☰ ↔ Kun ☷ (Heaven and Earth in their proper places)
• Zhen ☳ ↔ Xun ☴ (Thunder and Wind in opposition)
• Kan ☵ ↔ Li ☲ (Water and Fire Do Not Shoot Each Other)
• Gen ☶ ↔ Dui ☱ (Mountain and Lake Communicate Qi)

Mnemonic Rhyme

Eight Trigrams Song:

乾三连，坤六断
震仰盂，艮覆碗
离中虚，坎中满
兑上缺，巽下断

Later Heaven Bagua Direction Song:

一数坎来二数坤，三震四巽是中分
五数中宫六乾是，七兑八艮九离门