The eight trigrams (Ba Gua) – building blocks of the I Ching and Feng Shui
Published on November 12, 2026 · 3 min read
A trigram consists of three lines, each solid (yang) or broken (yin). This gives eight signs – the Ba Gua. They are the building blocks of the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching and in Feng Shui they order the eight directions.
The eight images
Qian (heaven) stands for leadership and strength, Kun (earth) for receiving and care. Zhen (thunder) brings new beginnings, Xun (wind) gentle penetration. Kan (water) stands for depth and risk, Li (fire) for clarity and radiance. Gen (mountain) means pausing, Dui (lake) joy and exchange.
Directions and family
In the “later heaven arrangement” used in Feng Shui, Li is in the south, Kan in the north, Zhen in the east and Dui in the west; Qian in the northwest, Kun in the southwest, Gen in the northeast and Xun in the southeast. Each trigram is assigned a family member – Qian the father, Kun the mother, Zhen the eldest son, Xun the eldest daughter.
From trigram to hexagram
Two trigrams stacked make a hexagram. Fire over heaven gives, for example, “Possession in great measure”, water over fire “After completion”. Knowing the eight basic images, you already grasp the outline of each of the 64 hexagrams.
Early Heaven and Later Heaven
In the Early Heaven (先天), attributed to the legendary Fu Xi, opposites face each other exactly: heaven in the south, earth in the north, fire in the east, water in the west. It describes perfect balance and is used mainly for landforms and number combinations. The Later Heaven (後天), attributed to King Wen, arranges the trigrams according to the course of the seasons: fire in the south, water in the north, thunder in the east, lake in the west. It shows movement and change – and is the basis for house analyses.
Trigrams, body and character
Each trigram also stands for a body part and a basic attitude: Qian ☰ for the head and leadership, Kun ☷ for the belly and care, Zhen ☳ for the feet and setting out, Xun ☴ for the thighs and gentle persistence, Kan ☵ for the ears and depth, Li ☲ for the eyes and clarity, Gen ☶ for the hands and pausing, Dui ☱ for the mouth and joy. These images help to interpret hexagrams – and explain why a certain area of the house is linked with certain life themes.
Compass method or entrance grid?
In Western Feng Shui books you often encounter a “Ba Gua grid” aligned with the front door – regardless of compass direction. This method comes from a modern school and is easy to apply. The classical schools, by contrast, align the trigrams with the compass: Kan always lies in the north, Li always in the south. Both approaches pursue a similar idea but arrive at different assignments. Our tools work consistently with the classical compass method.
In practice: your house and personal trigram
Every house has a trigram – that of its sitting direction, the back. A house facing south sits in the north and is therefore a Kan house. Every person also has a trigram through the Kua number. If house and person belong to the same group (east or west), this is considered harmonious. Measure the facing direction with the compass, determine your Kua number in the free calculator and compare both – a quick start into personal space analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ba Gua mirror the same thing?+
The mirror uses the trigrams as a protective symbol. The Ba Gua itself is a system of order, not a protective object.
Which trigram suits me?+
Your Kua number corresponds to a trigram and thus to your personal home direction.
Why are there two arrangements?+
The earlier arrangement describes ideal balance, the later one change over time. For homes and directions the later one is used.
Which trigram stands for wealth?+
Traditionally Xun ☴ (southeast, wind) is linked with growing prosperity. In classical analysis, however, the water stars matter most.
Can I combine both grids?+
Better not – it leads to contradictory recommendations. Choose one method and stick with it.