The Eight Trigrams: Foundation of I Ching

The Eight Trigrams form the foundation of the I Ching, composed of three lines each, representing eight fundamental states of nature and human experience. Qian (☰) Heaven, Kun (☷) Earth, Zhen (☳) Thunder, Xun (☴) Wind, Kan (☵) Water, Li (☲) Fire, Gen (☶) Mountain, Dui (☱) Lake. Each trigram has its unique symbolic meaning and nature. Two trigrams combined form the 64 hexagrams. Understanding the trigrams is key to studying the I Ching; they are not just symbols but profound insights into universal patterns.