Eight trigrams
Definition
The eight trigrams (primary gua) are Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, and Kun. Each has a three-line yin/yang structure, a Five-Phases affiliation, and common imagery. The sixty-four hexagrams are formed by stacking two trigrams, upper and lower.
Imagery and source text
For imagery, start with the Eight trigrams table. When you need classical wording, open the matching double-hexagram chapter:
The remaining sixty hexagrams are under Zhou Yi and the Sixty-four hexagrams index.
Place in the system
After casting, identify the upper and lower trigrams (outer/inner), then place shi/ying and the six relatives. Trigram attributes shape Five-Phases generation–control among the relatives; hexagram and line statements supply the textual layer for that double hexagram—use both.
Boundaries
- Trigram imagery is a general framework; for a concrete matter, prioritize the useful spirit, moving lines, and original/resulting relations.
- Do not let a single trigram name stand in for a full Liu Yao charting result.