Skip to main content

The eight trigrams (Bagua)

Each I Ching hexagram is built from two of the eight trigrams stacked one upon the other. The trigrams form a cosmological family — Heaven and Earth as parents, six children as sons and daughters — that maps onto the elements, seasons, animals and parts of the body.

Trigramme Ciel (qián)

The Creative

qián

The Father

Trigramme Terre (kūn)

The Receptive

kūn

The Mother

Trigramme Tonnerre (zhèn)

The Arousing

zhèn

Eldest Son

Trigramme Eau (kǎn)

The Abysmal

kǎn

Middle Son

Trigramme Montagne (gèn)

Keeping Still

gèn

Youngest Son

Trigramme Vent / Bois (xùn)

The Penetrating

xùn

Eldest Daughter

Trigramme Feu (lí)

The Clinging

Middle Daughter

Trigramme Lac (duì)

The Joyous

duì

Youngest Daughter