Hexagram

A hexagram is a six-line figure mentioned in I-Ching, the oldest Chinese classic text. There are 64 different patterns of hexagram, each of which represents a specific pattern in life. Hexagrams were used to find out the solutions for various problems affecting individuals, and it is applied in many areas of Chinese culture, such as Feng shui, martial arts, etc.

A hexagram consists of two parts- divided and undivided. The divided portion is called the 'yin' and the undivided portion is called the 'yang'. The interpretation of each hexagram is based on the explanation of each line in a hexagram. Thus there are total 384 (64X6) interpretations available from the hexagrams.

There are eight elements of nature that are represented by the two parts, upper and lower, of the hexagram. They are the heaven, thunder, water, mountain, earth, wind, flame and lake. For example, a combination of heaven in the upper trigram with the same in the lower trigram will result the hexagram numbered one, named Ch'ien. It mainly indicates 'force'. This combination indicates that success can be achieved by developing perseverance and creative efforts.

Another combination, for example, water (K'an) in the upper trigram and earth (K'un) in the lower trigram results the hexagram numbered 8. It is called Pi and it signifies unity, alliance, etc. The interpretation of Pi suggests that honesty and cooperative effort are the defining factors of success for those who are influenced by this pattern.

The geometry of the hexagram has got correlation with the arrangement of the elements on the earth and thus it was considered as a more scientific method, rather than a simple superstition.