八卦
八卦是易經的基本構成要素，每一卦代表一種自然力量和原型能量。
What are the eight trigrams?
The eight trigrams (八卦, bāguà) are three-line symbols that form the foundation of the I-Ching. Each trigram consists of three horizontal lines — either solid (yang, ━━━) or broken (yin, ━ ━) — yielding 8 possible combinations (2³ = 8). According to tradition recorded in the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) by Sima Qian, the legendary sage Fu Xi (伏羲) first observed patterns in nature and devised these eight symbols around 3000 BCE. When paired in all possible combinations, the 8 trigrams produce the 64 hexagrams of the I-Ching.
Canonical correspondences from the Shuo Gua
The primary source for trigram attributes is the Shuo Gua Zhuan (說卦傳, “Discussion of the Trigrams”), one of the Ten Wings (十翼) commentaries traditionally attributed to Confucius. The Shuo Gua assigns each trigram a family role, animal, body part, cardinal direction, and extended symbolic associations. These correspondences, documented over 2,000 years ago, remain the foundation of I-Ching interpretation today.
| Trigram | Name | Core Virtue | Family | Animal | Direction | Element |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☰ | Heaven (乾) | 健 (strong/active) | Father | Horse | Northwest | Metal |
| ☱ | Lake (兌) | 說 (joyous/pleasing) | Youngest Daughter | Sheep | West | Metal |
| ☲ | Fire (離) | 麗 (clinging/brightness) | Middle Daughter | Pheasant | South | Fire |
| ☳ | Thunder (震) | 動 (arousing/movement) | Eldest Son | Dragon | East | Wood |
| ☴ | Wind (巽) | 入 (penetrating/gentle) | Eldest Daughter | Rooster | Southeast | Wood |
| ☵ | Water (坎) | 陷 (dangerous/deep) | Middle Son | Pig | North | Water |
| ☶ | Mountain (艮) | 止 (keeping still/resting) | Youngest Son | Dog | Northeast | Earth |
| ☷ | Earth (坤) | 順 (receptive/yielding) | Mother | Ox | Southwest | Earth |
Source: Shuo Gua Zhuan (說卦傳), Ten Wings commentaries. Canonical correspondences as documented in the chinese-classics-reference research corpus (Digital Rain Studios).