Simply put, the bagua (or pa-k'ua) I often refer to is a "chart" that can be laid over floor plans to designate strategic areas for symbolic enhancements according to Feng Shui. Early baguas were used in consideration of burial plots and areas for settlement. The practice of Feng Shui is centuries old, and as with every other aspect of humanity, there has been quite an evolution. The foundation remains the same, and I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at the origins compared to what is being used today.
The words feng and shui mean wind and water, respectively. These were the two single most important factors for migrating villagers looking for prosperous settlement. Gentle winds meant good harvest & healthy livestock. Steady water was a good source of food and meant survival against drought. Conversely, harsh winds destroyed crops, stagnant water promoted disease, and rushing waters were not a good source of food. Wind, water, rain, fog, sun, and clouds were believed to be the energy of heaven and earth. The flow of energy in an environment was of utmost importance to the survival of the establishing tribe. For this reason early Chinese tribal leaders were shaman-kings that knew the ways of wind and water.
One such shaman-king was the sage Fu Hsi. Fu Hsi was especially knowledgeable in the ways of animals, hence his discovery of the Ho-t'u. The Ho-t'u is a pattern inscribed on a horse Fu-Hsi witnessed emerging from the river Ho. Fu Hsi translated the pattern into what became the Earlier Heaven pa-k'ua. The Earlier Heaven pa-k'ua describes the underlying nature of all things. To understand the Ho-t'u is to understand the foundation of the universe and humanity.
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| Ancient Ho-t'u Modern Ho-t'u |
Another Early shaman-king was Yu. Yu was crippled, but trained as a shaman and destined to be the leader of his people. Shun was an aging leader at a time when flood waters threatened to wipe out the tribal settlements in which Yu lived. After the failed efforts of several nobles, Yu stepped forward organizing the other villagers to build canals and dikes that subsided the flood waters. As the rivers calmed, Yu witnessed a tortoise emerging from the river adorned with the pattern from the river Lo. This pattern was called the Lo-shu and became the prototype for the Later Heaven pa-k'ua. The Later Heaven pa-k'ua is used to predict the phenomena of flux and change.
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| Ancient Lo-shu Modern Lo-shu |
It's advantageous to consider the principles of Feng Shui when looking for a place to live or work, however, the bagua can be used to help improve the flow of energy anywhere. The most outright commonality between the original bagua designs and the most contemporary rendition is the number of circles or shapes associated with each area. The same number associations are made in each rendering.
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| Number Associations to Areas on a Bagua |
Why do I use "pa-k'ua" and "bagua" interchangeably? Because they are really one in the same. The different words result from different dialects as written language was developed. There are multiple schools of Feng Shui and I'm finding that each school tends to use one word over the other. In my studies thus far, the ideologies have been the same.
