I. Foundations

Part 3: Eight Trigrams (Bagua)

3.2. Bagua Directions (Pre-Heavenly Eight Trigrams and Post-Heavenly Eight Trigrams)

Why “Bagua directions” matter in the practice of I Ching Divination.

When you study I Ching divination, you need a stable map that connects the Eight Trigrams to space. This directional backbone later connects outward into the He Tu Diagram, Luo Shu Diagram, and the five elements, so if you confuse direction mapping now, the later correspondence framework will feel inconsistent.

1) Pre-Heavenly Eight Trigrams directions

• Qian: South
• Kun: North
• Li: East
• Kan: West
• Dui: Southeast
• Zhen: Northeast
• Xun: Southwest
• Gen: Northwest

2) Post-Heavenly Eight Trigrams directions

• Zhen: East
• Dui: West
• Li: South
• Kan: North
• Qian: Northwest
• Kun: Southwest
• Gen: Northeast
• Xun: Southeast

A simple rule to avoid mixing systems

Treat Pre-Heavenly Eight Trigrams and Post-Heavenly Eight Trigrams as two different coordinate systems. Do not switch mid-study or mid-analysis.

A reliable habit:

1. Write at the top of your notes: Pre-Heavenly Eight Trigrams or Post-Heavenly Eight Trigrams.
2. Keep one reference chart visible until it becomes automatic.
3. Only after you are fluent should you start linking the map to the He Tu Diagram, Luo Shu Diagram, and the five elements.

A one-minute memorization drill (recommended)

For Post-Heavenly Eight Trigrams, drill the core frame first:

• East: Zhen
• West: Dui
• South: Li
• North: Kan

Then the corners:

• Northwest: Qian
• Southwest: Kun
• Northeast: Gen
• Southeast: Xun

How this connects to your actual divination workflow

If you are learning I Ching divination as a structured skill (especially if you plan to read classical material in depth), you want a consistent toolkit and reference environment. On ichingstream.com, you can use professional casting tools and a divination-specific perpetual calendar to keep your practice standardized while you study theory.