The Eight Trigram

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The Eight Trigram

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| The Chinese Calendar |The 8 Trigrams | Qi (Dragon Breath]

A picture of the 8 Trigram Symbol

The lines forming these trigrams are either whole (male) or broken (female). Each trigram consists of three male or female lines; and combined in various combinations; the trigram symbolises heaven, earth, water, fire dampness, wind thunder or mountains. Picture showing an 8 Trigram on a temple ceiling

The trigrams can be superimposed upon each other, and in this way 8 x 8 = 64 hexagrams are obtained.

These 64 hexagrams provide the essential text of the Chinese oracle-book. The 64 hexagrams covers all human conditions and occasions - a kind of inspired formula for interpreting events in the world.

According to a legend, the system of trigrams and hexagrams was developed by Zhou-gong, the relative and political adviser of the first Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty (from c. 1050 BC). The trigrams are often to be found on the garments of Toaist priests and on the walls, ceiling and beams of Chinese temples.

Originally, the Trigram was considered a symbolic representation of the Family nucleus e.g. made up of the Father, Mother, Elder Son, Middle Son, Younger Son, Elder Daughter, Middle Daughter and Younger daughter. This is still true. In fact, the Trigram is more than this. If you look at the table below, the Trigram also represents the time and seasons. For example: K'an represents Winter, Ken = Late Winter, Chen = Spring etc...

Trigram Name	Symbolizes	Person	Meaning	Direction	Season	Element	Poles
	Rain drops collect into streams, river & eventually to a heavy flow into a lake or the sea	Middle son, middle aged men	Poverty, worries, sickness, trouble, danger, risks & toil.	North	Winter	Water	Yang
	Mountain is stationery, motionless	Youngest son & youth	Obstacles leading to deadlock, resting & static.	NE	Late Winter or early Spring	Small Earth	Yang
	Thunder is energy & movement	Eldest son & youth	Time of expansion.New ventures, new job suggested. A new beginning	East	Spring	Big Wood	Yang
	Wind stirs the air penetrates everywhere & travel distances even to remote places	Eldest daughter	Growth, continous toil, purity,completness or indecison	SE	Between late spring & early summer	Small Wood	Yin
	Lightning symbolises the sun & fire	Middle daughter, middle age, wise & intelligent person	Brightness, brilliance or disasters such as fires, separation or dryness.	South	Summer	Fire	Yin
	Earth is gentle & unyielding like a mother	Mother, old lady, wives, workers	Poor, inferior & lowly yet receptive, humble, peaceful work is done	SW	Late summer, early autumn, ripening season	Big Earth	Yin
	The marsh, a low lying place, insufficiency & inadequacy	Youngest daughter, young girls	Joy, excessive pleasure, reflection, inducement, ruin & defects	West	Autumn	Small Metal	Yin
	Heaven which is lofty, noble & firm	Father	Creative, strong, active, continously on the move or time to make decisive decisons	NW	Late autumn or early winter	Big Metal	Yang

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