The link shows a table with the eight Trigrams and their main associations of the Taoist philosophy:
table-bagua
The eight trigrams symbolize things and affairs of everyday life and their energetic substructure, depending on the context where they appear and how they are used.
According to Dr. Song who studied the I-Ching they represent:
1. Qian: sky, day, gold, head, steel, elefant, lion, male animals, soldiers, bullet, circle, father, head of state, sunrays, radiation.
2. Kun: earth, night, minerals, stomach, grain, cow, birds, female animals, pan, mother, balance, rectangle, clothing.
3. Li: sun, summer, noontime, heart, fire, electricity, pheasant, sheep, turtle, empty room, centre, prophecy.
4. Kan: water, winter, night-time, uncertainty, danger, fox, fish, rivulet, stream, ocean, concealment, profundity.
5. Zhen: thunder & lightning, beginning of spring, foot, liver, horse, dragon, wood, city, movement, order.
6. Xun: wind, monastery, eyes, chickens, wild birds, movement, nourishment of qi, long hair.
7. Dui: lake, swamp, pond, pool, joy, goat, monkey, sword, autumn, witch, tricks, fun, bliss.
8. Gen: mountain, main-land, city wall, temple, dog, wolf, tiger, steadfastness, volunteer, men, small table.
4 trigrams are a yang phenomenon: Qian, Li, Zhen, Dui.
4 trigrams are a yin manifestation: Kun, Kan, Xun, Gen.
There are 2 trigrams that particulary work well, allure and harmonize with each other:
Qian with Kun
Li and Kan
Zhen and Xun
Dui and Gen.
The 8 Trigrams in terms of mental-energetic abilities
1. Qian manifests as steadfast, continous, relentless, hard, unweary energy.
2. Kun is soft, inconsistent, absorbing, yielding and giving way, jaded.
3. Li is manifesting as an energy that is: awesome, temperamental, pushing, excitable, sexy.
4. Kan is an energy that is: cryptic, adaptive, sustaining, resentful, strenuous.
5.
The 8 Trigrams; understanding of the energetic aspects.
1. Qian: the 3 yang lines of this trigram denotes a positive state of mind; the aspirations of a noble mind. However, if taken to extremes; without the counter-balance of Kun, or even better a harmonious melange of all 8-trigrams, Qian may transform itself into the Kun-trigram by the law of change. So, if taken to extremes, the result of a hyper activity might be feeling jaded….
2. Kun: the 3 yin lines offer no rational basis for a rational assessment of a situation. The main hope is trusting the law of change, meaning that the 3 yin lines may transform suddenly into 3 yang lines, thus opening the field of realization. This principle is used in Tai-chi and in essential meditation.
However, Kun can also lean on the power of the Qian, as seen in patriarchial societies, where this pattern is more or less working. However, that is not the main-line in an open society where women should/could take responsible and leading roles.
3.-4. Li and Kan
The relationship between water and fire is well known. However, the deeper subtleties are worth to be investigated.
By combining two trigrams one gets a hexagram.
64 Hexagrams
The hexagrams with fire and water are:
Nr.63 and Nr.64
Nr. 63, where fire is below water is a sign of completion and success. But careful, then follows Nr. 64 which signifies that the “i.e. the mission has not yet been completed and is still in process.” Then all starts with Nr.1 again, signifying that one has to work again like a beginner with diligence, deference and zeal.
Tags: bagua, philosophy, taoism, trigrams, yin/yang
