Tai Chi Glossary > Bagua / Eight Trigrams (八卦)
Bagua (八卦)
Definition: Bagua (八卦), the Eight Trigrams, are eight symbolic diagrams derived from the I Ching (易经), each composed of three stacked lines (broken = Yin, unbroken = Yang). They represent the fundamental patterns of change in nature and form the philosophical basis for Baguazhang (八卦掌), one of the three Internal Martial Arts.
The eight trigrams are: Qian (乾, Heaven), Kun (坤, Earth), Zhen (震, Thunder), Xun (巽, Wind), Kan (坎, Water), Li (离, Fire), Gen (艮, Mountain), Dui (兑, Lake). Each pairs with a direction, an element, a body part, and a family member in the classical system.
Role in Tai Chi
While Bagua is most directly associated with Baguazhang, the Eight Trigram framework maps conceptually to Tai Chi’s Eight Gates (八法) — each of the eight hand energies corresponds to a trigram and direction. The Thirteen Postures system explicitly links the Eight Gates to the eight trigrams and the Five Steps to the Five Elements.
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Often Discussed Together
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Further Reading & Practical Guides
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