The Eight Trigrams

Three lines

Every hexagram in the I Ching is built from trigrams. A trigram is a stack of three lines, and each line is either yin or yang. A solid line is yang, a broken line is yin. With three lines that can be two kinds, there are exactly eight possible patterns. These are the eight trigrams, also called the bagua in Chinese.

You can think of each trigram as a small picture of a situation. The bottom line is the foundation, the middle line is the core, and the top line is the outer expression. When you throw three coins, you get one of these eight patterns as the bottom three lines of your hexagram. The same eight trigrams also give you the top three lines.

The eight trigrams are the alphabet of the I Ching. Once you know them, you can start to see how every hexagram is a conversation between two of these basic images. They make the 64 hexagrams feel less like a random list and more like a system you can get a feel for.

The eight

Here are the eight trigrams. Remember, the lines are read from the bottom up.

First is Heaven 乾 (☰), three solid lines: 111. Its natural image is the sky, strength and creative power. Heaven stands for initiative, authority and the endless drive to move forward. It is pure yang, nothing but action.

Second is Lake 兌 (☱), a broken top line over two solid: 110. Its image is a lake or marsh. Lake stands for joy, open communication and the pleasure of connection.

Third is Fire 離 (☲), a broken line between two solid: 101. Its image is fire, flame and the sun. Fire stands for clarity, light, beauty and the way awareness illuminates things. But fire also clings to what it burns, so it can mean dependence.

Fourth is Thunder 震 (☳), a solid bottom line under two broken: 100. Its image is thunder, a sudden shock that stirs the earth. Thunder stands for movement, upheaval and the burst of energy that wakes things up. It is the moment of change itself.

Fifth is Wind 巽 (☴), a broken bottom line under two solid: 011. Its image is wind, which is gentle but penetrates everywhere. Wind stands for flexibility, following, and the quiet power of influence. It can mean being adaptable or being too yielding.

Sixth is Water 坎 (☵), a solid line between two broken: 010. Its image is water in a deep pit or a river. Water stands for danger, the unknown, and the way you must move through difficulty.

Seventh is Mountain 艮 (☶), a solid top line over two broken: 001. Its image is a mountain, stillness and rest. Mountain stands for stopping, holding firm, and knowing when to wait. It is the calm that comes after movement.

Eighth is Earth 坤 (☷), three broken lines: 000. Its image is the earth itself, receptive and nurturing. Earth stands for support, patience, and the way things grow from being held. It is pure yin, pure openness.

Two trigrams make a hexagram

A hexagram is six lines. Those six lines are really two trigrams stacked together. The bottom three lines are the lower trigram, and the top three lines are the upper trigram. Because there are eight trigrams, and each hexagram pairs one lower with one upper, eight times eight gives you the 64 hexagrams.

Every hexagram has its own name and its own text in the I Ching. No two trigram pairs are the same. Heaven over Heaven is one hexagram, Heaven over Earth is another, and so on. Each pair creates a unique situation by putting two images in relation to each other.

When you throw the coins six times, you are building a hexagram from the bottom up. The first three throws give you the lower trigram, and the next three give you the upper trigram. So your reading always comes from a specific pair of trigrams, each with its own character and meaning.

Reading the pair

To get a first feel for any hexagram, you can look at its two trigrams together. Think about what each trigram stands for, and then imagine them interacting. The lower trigram is often the inner situation, what is happening inside you or at the root. The upper trigram is the outer situation, the conditions around you.

Ask simple questions of the two pictures. Does one image rise and the other sink? Does one hold still while the other moves? Do they seem to help each other or pull apart? Your answers give you a first sense of the hexagram before you read its text. Every pair creates a different relationship, some easy, some uneasy.

This way of reading is a starting point. It helps you see the hexagram as a living picture. But the real meaning comes from the hexagram's own text, which speaks directly to your question. The trigrams are the bones, and the text is the flesh.

Into the 64

On this site, every hexagram page shows you its two trigrams at the top. You can see the lower trigram and the upper trigram, along with their names and images. This makes it easier to connect the abstract lines to the natural world of sky, lake, fire, thunder, wind, water, mountain and earth.

The I Ching is for reflection and entertainment. It helps you look at a question from a new angle and does not decide for you. The 64 hexagrams are all here, ready for you to throw the coins and see which pair of trigrams speaks to your situation.

When you are ready, you can ask your own question and let the coins fall. The trigrams will build your hexagram, and the ancient text will offer its reflection.