Ba Gua - The Eight Trigrams

The Ba Gua, aka The Eight Trigrams or Pa Kua, is an octagonal diagram with a trigram on each side and the yin yang symbol at the center. Each of the trigrams is associated with a season, meaning, nature, personality, family member and direction.

The top of the bagua is always associated with the south direction. Beginning at the top, the sequence runs clockwise. There are two sequences - the pre-King Wen "earlier heaven" order and the King Wen "later heaven" order.

Earlier Heaven Sequence (Pre-King Wen Order)

Ba Gua, or Pa Kua, Diagram - Earlier Heaven Sequence
Gua Name Nature Season Direction Meaning Family
Qian Heaven Summer S Expansive energy, the sky Father
Xun Wind Summer SW Gentle penetration, flexibility Eldest Daughter
Kan Water Autumn W Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon Middle Son
Gen Mountain Autumn NW Stillness, immovability Youngest Son
Kun Earth Winter N Receptive energy, that which yields Mother
Zhen Thunder Winter NE Excitation, revolution, division Eldest Son
Li Fire Spring E Rapid movement, radiance, the sun Middle Daughter
Dui Lake Spring SE Joy, satisfaction, stagnation Youngest Daughter

Later Heaven Squence (King Wen ORder)

Ba Gua, or Pa Kua, Diagram - Later Heaven Sequence
Gua Name Nature Season Direction Meaning Family
Li Fire Summer S Rapid movement, radiance, the sun Middle Daughter
Kun Earth Summer SW Receptive energy, that which yields Mother
Dui Lake Autumn W Joy, satisfaction, stagnation Youngest Daughter
Qian Heaven Autumn NW Expansive energy, the sky Father
Kan Water Winter SE Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon Middle Son
Gen Mountain Winter N Stillness, immovability Youngest Son
Zhen Thunder Spring NE Excitation, revolution, division Eldest Son
Xun Wind Spring E Gentle penetration, flexibility Eldest Daughter

In the Eight Mansions School of Feng Shui, it is the Later Heaven sequence of the ba gua that is mapped onto the luo shu to derive the associated kua number.