Reference · Terms · 5 min read
A plain-English
glossary.
Definitions for the recurring terms on Baguapath, with links to the fuller guides.
Reference · Terms · 5 min read
Definitions for the recurring terms on Baguapath, with links to the fuller guides.
| Term | Working definition |
|---|---|
| Ba Gua / Bagua | The Eight Trigrams, a set of three-line symbols used in Chinese cosmology and the I Ching. |
| Trigram | A symbol made from three solid or broken lines. |
| Yin | One relational category in yin-yang thought, often represented by a broken line. |
| Yang | One relational category in yin-yang thought, often represented by a solid line. |
| Life Gua / Ming Gua | A year-based personal trigram used in some Eight Mansions traditions. |
| Kua number | A number from 1–9 used to organize the personal Life Gua result. |
| East group | Life Gua numbers 1, 3, 4, and 9 in a common Eight Mansions grouping. |
| West group | Life Gua numbers 2, 6, 7, and 8 in the same grouping. |
| BaZi | Four Pillars of Destiny, a broader system using birth date and time. |
| Li Chun | “Beginning of Spring,” a solar-term boundary used in some year systems. |
| Hexagram | A six-line figure made by combining two trigrams. |
| Gua 卦 | The Chinese character often translated as trigram or symbolic figure. |
The Bagua is the family of eight trigrams. A Life Gua applies one trigram through a birth-year calculation. Feng Shui may arrange trigrams spatially, while BaZi uses a different set of calendrical structures. These systems overlap culturally but are not interchangeable.
Start with What is the Bagua? or use the Life Gua calculator.
No. Bagua is a family of trigram symbols. Feng Shui is a broader set of spatial and environmental practices in which Bagua arrangements may be used.
Use the year-based calculator and see your traditional direction set.
A full beginner foundation guide.
→Understand the difference between frameworks.
→How Baguapath handles interpretation and references.
Baguapath presents traditional frameworks for cultural learning and reflection. Interpretations vary between schools and are not guarantees about health, wealth, relationships, or future events. Read our methodology and sources.