In search of the "Human Bagua" II

My previous blog has discussed the source of the Bagua or 8-trigrams.  Now comes to the core of the discussion.

Middle Heaven Bagua (MHB) is also called "Yellow Emperor Bagua" because it is based on  Lian Shan Yi which was attributed to the Yellow Emperor.  The first version of MHB that I introduce here is based on Yuan-bao Jing (元包經)-- a classic written in Northern Chou Dynasty (557- 581 CE ).  It is regarded as an elaboration of  Gui Cang Yi (歸藏).

MIDDLE HEAVEN BAGUA BASED ON YUAN-BAO JING 
At first glance, this bagua is clear yin-yang division or sex-segregation.  The gua (trigram) order in this version are as follows:

• Kun to Qian
• Dui to Gen
• Li to Kan
• Xun to Zhen

Yuan-bao Jing model starts with Kun (female/ yin) and ends with Zhen (male/ yang). Females are on the left side and also on top of males. It shows "Yin first and Yang second" or matriarchy ideology. The word "Cang 藏" as in "Gui Cang 歸藏", stands for Kun or the receptive/ storage.   However, the ordering of trigrams still reflects yin-yang balance concept.

MIDDLE HEAVEN BAGUA BASED ON GUI CANG YI

Click over picture to enlarge

This looks like a "gay bagua" because both 90 and 180 degree paths of each trigram always reaches trigram of the same gender.  However, if you look at the neighboring trigram in terms of the yin trigram (e.g, Kun/ Qian, Dui/ Gen and so on),  you will find each "yao" of the trigram pair (the straight and broken lines) is yin-yang balanced.  

There is no accurate information except speculations on the gua order of this MHB.  All we know is it starts of Kun trigram with a right moving track.

Until one day a copy of Gui Cang Yi is discovered or unearthed, we cannot ascertain the validity of existing MHB creations.  This is one major reason that most Feng Shui books do not bother to include or discuss about MHB.  But it does not stop some marketers from boasting about their trove of "MHB secrets".

Anyway, all the bagua models (pre-, post- and Middle) reflect the rules of "yin-yang theory" like confrontation, mutual dependency and balancing.  Bagua models are also the original sources of 5-element theory. Pre-heaven bagua reflects the mutual-controlling aspect of 5-element theory.  Post-heaven bagua shows the nurturing aspect of the same theory.   Middle heaven bagua, if proven, points to the combination aspects of 5-element theory.

SHAO YONG AND MIDDLE HEAVEN BAGUA
The Pre-heaven Bagua diagram that we have today actually shows up LATER than the Post-heaven one.  It was put together by Shao Yong (1011–1077 CE) based on the following entry from Confucian classic Shuo-guo Chuan (說卦傳, Commentaries on Trigrams):
"天地定位，山澤通氣，雷風相薄，水火不相射，八卦相錯，數往者順，知來者逆﹔是故，易逆數也。"

This entry specifies the location and pairing of each trigrams.  It shows the spatial and original aspects of the system.  Trigrams also represent gender locations and relationship, so this Post-heaven bagua also reflects the human aspects of the system, especially in terms of power-relationship.

Shao Yong was probably one of the most talented Chinese cosmologists and Yi-Jing scholars.  He had created Huangji Jingshi (皇極經世, Book of supreme world ordering principles) and the Plum Blossom Divination method.  A logical question will arise:  If Shao was smart enough to figure out the Pre-heaven Bagua sequence from the classics, why did he not reconstruct one for the "Human or Middle Heaven Bagua"?  Did he feel the human aspects are already embedded in the Pre- and Post-heaven bagua?


MIDDLE HEAVEN BAGUA SECRETS???

Shao Yong (1011-1077 CE)

We do not know if MHB exists or not, so is there such thing as a "MHB secret"?  Anyway, someone claims "Turning Qian over to Kun" (扭轉乾坤, reverse the course of events ) is one of the MHB big secrets. I will give you a hint to crack it.

There are more than one way to do  "Turning Qian over to Kun".  Many people in the motivation, life-coaching and destiny-changing (or luck changing) business use similar technique. But people do not call it a MHB secret. It is just one of the basic yin-yang principles.

Here is the hint:  go to my website www.kenlaifengshui.com and click the link for "Destiny and Luck Management: Advanced Bazi Therapy and Enhancement" course.  Look for the DVD box cover image. It is one of the possible answers for  "Turning Qian over to Kun".


Ken Lai

Video Correspondence Courses: (click for details)   
“Advanced Visual Form Feng Shui” w/23 hr. HD video
“Visual Form Feng Shui” w/13 hr. HD video
"Applied Bazi: SIckness Forecasting and Management" w/33 hr. HD video 
“Destiny/Luck Mgmt. 1: Forecasting and Decision Support” w/32 hr. HD video
“Destiny/Luck Mgmt. 2: Basic Bazi Therapy w/18 hr. HD video
“Destiny/Luck Mgmt. 3 w/ Advanced Bazi Therapy w/18 hr. HD video
“Feng Shui Toolbox: Sha-qi, Health/Wealth and Career” w/ 7 hr. HD video
“Period 7/8 FS Toolkit w/ Advanced Flying Star techniques” w/ 6 hr. HD video
“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-Men-Dun-Jia 4G” w/ 12 hr. video
“Professional Imperial QMDJ 4G” w/ 21 hr. video
“EZ QMDJ series: Astrology, Date/Task Selection, Annual Luck/ FS”w/ 3 hr. HD
“EZ QMDJ Advanced Feng Shui” with 4 hr. HD video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui/Blessing” w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp+ 2017 edition” with 18 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com

In search of the "Human Bagua" I

A student asks these questions:  What is "Middle Heaven Bagua"? How come it is rarely seen or mentioned in traditional Feng Shui books?

Bagua or "8-trigrams" was created by the mythical ruler Fu Xi (伏羲, around 2800 BC).  It is the oldest binary symbol system in the world.  It started with "void" or nothingness to tai-ji or the "yin-yang fish" symbol.  The tai-ji evoles to "yin" and "yang" as represented by one line and two broken lines.  After 2 more iterations, the system of 8-trigrams or "bagua" emerges:   QIAN乾 ☰,  KUN坤 ☷,  LI离 ☲,  KAN坎 ☵,  ZHEN震 ☳,  XUN巽 ☴,  DUI兌 ☱ and  GEN艮 ☶   (Color stands for the elemental nature of the trigram).  

"Bagua" becomes the building blocks of Chinese civilization including metaphysics.  It is also probably the first creation model using binary symbols.  Yi-Jing or "Book of Changes" elaborates the functions and interactions of bagua elements.

The Yi-Jing or Zhou-yi (周易) that we have today is part of a trilogy of:    

1. Lian Shan Yi (連山易)--  Lian Shan means  "continuous mountains" in Chinese.  Pre-heaven Bagua is based on this classic.  The initiating trigram is Gen(艮).
2. Gui Cang Yi (歸藏易) Gui Cang means "return and in storage" in Chinese.   The initiating trigram is Kun (坤).  
3. Zhou-yi (周易)-- Zhou stands for King Wen of Zhou Dynasty.  Post-heaven Bagua is based on this classic. The initiating trigram is Qian (乾).  

Unfortunately, Lian Shan Yi and Gui Cang Yi had been lost though part of their texts were quoted in Zhou-yi and other classics.

Chinese metaphysics always talks about the "Three components" or "San Cai" (三材)-- "Heaven,  Human and Earth" (some people translated it as "holy trinity" or "cosmic trinity", too religious and value-laden for me).  In terms of Feng Shui applications, Pre-heaven bagua stands for the heaven aspects and Post-heaven bagua for the earth aspects. Logically some people will look for  the "human bagua" or the "Middle Heaven Bagua" because human beings stand between heaven and earth.

There are numerous versions of "Middle Heaven Bagua" created by the curious souls or metaphysics marketers over the centuries.  Here I will show you two versions that are more "reasonable" because they are based on the bits and pieces of  Lian Shan Yi and Gui Cang Yi as quoted in Zhou-yi or other ancient texts.

Time for a nap.  If you come back next time, I will show you a top middle-heaven bagua secret-- no affinity or money needed.


Ken Lai

Video Correspondence Courses: (click for details)   
“Advanced Visual Form Feng Shui” w/23 hr. HD video
“Visual Form Feng Shui” w/13 hr. HD video
"Applied Bazi: SIckness Forecasting and Management" w/33 hr. HD video 
“Destiny/Luck Mgmt. 1: Forecasting and Decision Support” w/32 hr. HD video
“Destiny/Luck Mgmt. 2: Basic Bazi Therapy w/18 hr. HD video
“Destiny/Luck Mgmt. 3 w/ Advanced Bazi Therapy w/18 hr. HD video
“Feng Shui Toolbox: Sha-qi, Health/Wealth and Career” w/ 7 hr. HD video
“Period 7/8 FS Toolkit w/ Advanced Flying Star techniques” w/ 6 hr. HD video
“Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG) w/ 12 hr. video
“Practical Imperial Qi-Men-Dun-Jia 4G” w/ 12 hr. video
“Professional Imperial QMDJ 4G” w/ 21 hr. video
“EZ QMDJ series: Astrology, Date/Task Selection, Annual Luck/ FS”w/ 3 hr. HD
“EZ QMDJ Advanced Feng Shui” with 4 hr. HD video
“Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui/Blessing” w/ 24 hr video
“Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
“4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp+ 2017 edition” with 18 hr. video

http://www.kenlaifengshui.com

Starving Cows in China

China Daily has reported a bizarre memorial video posted online by a farmer.  He uses the video to protest the death of his dairy cows due to land dispute with local government.

"The five minute video shows the impromptu memorial service in Zhaoling town, Luohe city in Central China's Henan province where it is claimed 230 dairy cows died after the farm's gates were locked and the land transferred due to unpaid rent."

You can see the video and report from this link:
http://english.sina.com/video/2011/0906/394722.html

In the video, the farm owner eulogizes the cows and prays for their safe passage to heaven.  He also accuses government officials embezzle his funds.  Last segment of the video shows Buddhist rituals are conducted to help the souls of these cows to migrate to Nirvana.  

Here is the response from a government official:

"According to the contract, because the cattle farm didn't execute the contract, the local government has the right to deal with the land without negotiations and the cattle farm should take the consequences..." 
  
Regardless of who is right or wrong, knowingly letting 230 cows starve to death is animal cruelty in any civilized society.  This lack of compassion and respect for life is sickening.

Land disputes between local government and farmers are common in China.  Local government officials team up with land developers to build housing estates to boost GDP.  Farmers or local residents are driven away from their land with little compensations.   This case is unusual as the victims are the defenseless dairy cows from Australia.

RIP 230 Dairy Cows

Ken Lai

"Destiny & Luck Mgmt: Basic Bazi Therapy & Enhancement” w/ 18 hr. HD video
"Destiny & Luck Mgmt.: Advanced Bazi Therapy/Enhancement” w/ 18 hr. HD video
"Practical Date-Selection Methods (incl. XKDG)” w/ 13 hr. video
"Practical Imperial Qi-Men-Dun-Jia” w/ 11 hr. video
"Advanced Practical Imperial Qi-Men-Dun-Jia” w/ 18 hr. video
"Daoist Talismans for Feng Shui & Blessing” v.2 w/ 24 hr video
"Practical Door Feng Shui for Wealth” w/ 3 hr. video
"4-Pillars Forecasting Bootcamp” with 12 hr. video
http://www.kenlaifengshui.com/