What Are Trigrams?
A trigram (卦, guà) is a symbol made of three stacked lines. Each line is either solid (yang ⚊) or broken (yin ⚋). With three positions and two possibilities each, there are exactly 2³ = 8 possible trigrams.
According to legend, the trigrams were discovered by Fu Xi (伏羲), the mythical first emperor of China, who observed the patterns on the back of a dragon-horse (龙马) emerging from the Yellow River. This event is known as the He Tu (河图) — the "River Chart."
The Eight Trigrams
乾 Qián — Heaven / The Creative
Nature: Strong, creative, initiating | Element: Metal | Direction: Northwest
The pure yang trigram — three unbroken lines representing the ultimate creative force. Heaven is associated with strength, leadership, persistence, and the power to initiate. It represents the father, the ruler, and the creative principle itself.
Key attributes: Strength, creativity, initiative, perseverance, authority, completeness
坤 Kūn — Earth / The Receptive
Nature: Yielding, nurturing, receptive | Element: Earth | Direction: Southwest
The pure yin trigram — three broken lines representing the ultimate receptive force. Earth is associated with nurturing, support, patience, and the ability to receive and sustain. It represents the mother, the minister, and the receptive principle.
Key attributes: Receptivity, nurturing, patience, devotion, support,包容
震 Zhèn — Thunder / The Arousing
Nature: Arousing, initiating, movement | Element: Wood | Direction: East
Thunder — the shock that awakens. One yang line bursts through two yin lines above, like a sprout pushing through soil or thunder breaking the silence of winter. It represents sudden action, movement, and the eldest son.
Key attributes: Movement, shock, awakening, initiative, decisiveness, arousal
巽 Xùn — Wind / The Gentle
Nature: Gentle, penetrating, gradual | Element: Wood | Direction: Southeast
Wind — gentle but persistent, penetrating everywhere. One yang line above two yin lines represents the power of gentle influence that gradually permeates all things. It is associated with flexibility, persuasion, and the eldest daughter.
Key attributes: Gentleness, penetration, flexibility, influence, gradual progress,谦逊
坎 Kǎn — Water / The Abysmal
Nature: Dangerous, flowing, abyssal | Element: Water | Direction: North
Water — flowing, adapting, and dangerous. One yang line between two yin lines represents a stream of truth surrounded by darkness. Water flows around obstacles, finds the lowest point, and persists. It represents the middle son and the quality of sincerity.
Key attributes: Danger, flow, adaptation, sincerity, persistence, depth
離 Lí — Fire / The Clinging
Nature: Clinging, illuminating, beautiful | Element: Fire | Direction: South
Fire — bright, clinging, and beautiful. Two yang lines frame a yin line, representing light that clings to what it illuminates. Fire has no substance of its own; it depends on fuel. It represents clarity, vision, and the middle daughter.
Key attributes: Clarity, vision, beauty, attachment, intelligence,依附
艮 Gèn — Mountain / Keeping Still
Nature: Still, stabilizing, resting | Element: Earth | Direction: Northeast
Mountain — still, immovable, resting. Two yang lines above a yin line represent the mountain: solid above, open beneath. Mountains teach us the wisdom of knowing when to stop, when to be still, and when to act no further.
Key attributes: Stillness, stability, meditation, boundaries, knowing when to stop,止
兌 Duì — Lake / The Joyous
Nature: Joyous, open,愉悦 | Element: Metal | Direction: West
Lake — joyful, open, and refreshing. Two yang lines above a yin line represent the lake: a surface of stillness concealing depth below. Lakes bring joy and refreshment. This trigram represents communication, pleasure, and the youngest daughter.
Key attributes: Joy, communication, pleasure, openness, satisfaction,悦
How Trigrams Interact
Each hexagram is formed by combining two trigrams — the lower trigram (inner, personal) and the upper trigram (outer, social). The relationship between these two trigrams creates the meaning of the hexagram.
For example, Hexagram 11 (Peace ☷☰) combines Earth (receptive) below and Heaven (creative) above — the creative force sinks while the receptive rises, creating harmonious exchange and peace.