Chinese Writing Chinese Writing (Pa Kua)(Pa Kua)

Emma and AllieEmma and AllieEnglish I-Louise S. McGehee English I-Louise S. McGehee

SchoolSchool20052005

The Pakua symbol (Guthrie).

Fu-Hsi: The First of 3 Fu-Hsi: The First of 3 SovereignsSovereigns

The ancient symbols of Pakua The ancient symbols of Pakua were created by one of the three were created by one of the three sovereigns, named Fu-Hsi. sovereigns, named Fu-Hsi.

These three noble emperors These three noble emperors were called the San-Huang.were called the San-Huang.

According to legend, Fu-Hsi was According to legend, Fu-Hsi was held in his mother’s womb for 12 held in his mother’s womb for 12 years.years.

He was known as the “Oxtamer” He was known as the “Oxtamer” for his ability to teach men how to for his ability to teach men how to tame wild animals. (Hales)tame wild animals. (Hales)

Fu-Hsi (Nanian).

The PakuaThe Pakua Pakua is eight trigrams, or figures, that Pakua is eight trigrams, or figures, that

make up the foundation for the Chinese make up the foundation for the Chinese writing.writing.

It is also known as bagua, ‘ba’ meaning It is also known as bagua, ‘ba’ meaning ‘eight,’ and ‘gua’ meaning ‘figures’ or ‘eight,’ and ‘gua’ meaning ‘figures’ or ‘images.’‘images.’

The figures show fundamental ways that The figures show fundamental ways that energy moves.energy moves.

The PakuaThe Pakua The Pakua trigrams The Pakua trigrams

are put together in an are put together in an octagonal shape to octagonal shape to form the Chinese form the Chinese compass.compass.

South is placed at the South is placed at the top and north is top and north is placed at the bottom placed at the bottom while all of the sub-while all of the sub-directions are placed directions are placed accordingly around accordingly around the octagon.the octagon.

Li, the symbol of the Li, the symbol of the sun, wind, and wood, sun, wind, and wood, is placed towards the is placed towards the south.south.

K’an, the symbol of K’an, the symbol of the water, is placed the water, is placed towards the north.towards the north.

Tui and Chen, Tui and Chen, symbols of the lake symbols of the lake and thunder, are and thunder, are placed at west and placed at west and east, respectively.east, respectively.

The EightThe Eight TrigramsTrigrams

Chien: HeavenChien: Heaven Sun: sun, wind, or Sun: sun, wind, or

woodwood K’an: waterK’an: water Ken: mountainKen: mountain K’un: earthK’un: earth Chen: thunderChen: thunder Li: fireLi: fire Tui: lakeTui: lake

The eight Pakua trigrams (“I Ching”).

Chinese CalligraphyChinese Calligraphy To make To make

Chinese Chinese calligraphy, one calligraphy, one puts the symbols puts the symbols of the Pakua of the Pakua together to make together to make hexagrams or hexagrams or larger figures larger figures that mean other that mean other things.things.

            

            

            

            

            

            

This figure means ‘Opposition,’ and it is Pakua symbols Li (fire) and Tui (lake) together. Li is on top of Tui (“I Ching”).

            

            

            

            

            

            

This figure means ‘Radical Change.’ It is also Li and Tui together, but now Tui is on top of Li (“I Ching”).

Ancient Use of the PakuaAncient Use of the Pakua

The Pakua is a main reference The Pakua is a main reference in the making of Chinese in the making of Chinese myths.myths.

The Pakua symbol is “one of The Pakua symbol is “one of the most important symbols of the most important symbols of protection against poison protection against poison arrows or other harmful arrows or other harmful structures” (“I Ching”).structures” (“I Ching”).

The symbol of Early Heaven is The symbol of Early Heaven is also credited with the power to also credited with the power to ward off evil spirits.ward off evil spirits. The Early Heaven symbol

(“Light Easy”).

Feng Shui and PakuaFeng Shui and Pakua

In Feng Shui, the Pakua In Feng Shui, the Pakua symbols determined where symbols determined where objects were to be placed in objects were to be placed in order to create better living order to create better living for the owner and family of for the owner and family of the home.the home.

The octagonal points of the The octagonal points of the Pakua are used to interpret Pakua are used to interpret good and bad Feng Shui.good and bad Feng Shui.

^Chinese symbol for Feng Shui (“Mondoalternativo”).

Links to the Modern WorldLinks to the Modern World The Pakua is still the basis of the Chinese The Pakua is still the basis of the Chinese

written language today.written language today. The hexagrams that the Pakua makes The hexagrams that the Pakua makes

have all been grouped together to form a have all been grouped together to form a group of characters called I Ching.group of characters called I Ching.

The Pakua symbols are still a large part of The Pakua symbols are still a large part of the Feng Shui method today.the Feng Shui method today.

(“I Ching”).

I ChingI Ching The I Ching is a book of 64 hexagrams The I Ching is a book of 64 hexagrams

that are used to determine someone’s that are used to determine someone’s fate.fate.

A person must roll three coins, heads A person must roll three coins, heads counting for 3 and tails counting for 2.counting for 3 and tails counting for 2.

Whatever the number comes out, this is Whatever the number comes out, this is the type of line that starts out your the type of line that starts out your hexagram.hexagram.

Roll the coins 5 more times to complete Roll the coins 5 more times to complete the hexagram.the hexagram.

Works CitedWorks Cited““Casting a Hexagram.” Casting a Hexagram.” I Ching ResourcesI Ching Resources. 11 January 2005. . 11 January 2005.

<http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_resources/hexagrams.html><http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_resources/hexagrams.html>

““Feng Shui.” Feng Shui.” Light EasyLight Easy. 2004. 7 January 2005. . 2004. 7 January 2005. <http://www.lightradio.com/my/03/leisure/fengshui/Default.asp%3Fwhichpage%<http://www.lightradio.com/my/03/leisure/fengshui/Default.asp%3Fwhichpage%3D64%26pagesize%3D1&h=195&w=200&sz=12&tbnid=XJ2M9PVvLwoJ:&tbn3D64%26pagesize%3D1&h=195&w=200&sz=12&tbnid=XJ2M9PVvLwoJ:&tbnh=96&tbnw=98&start=11&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dearly%2Bheaven%26hl%3Dh=96&tbnw=98&start=11&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dearly%2Bheaven%26hl%3D enen%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff>.%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff>.

““Feng Shui.” Feng Shui.” Mondoalternativo.Mondoalternativo. 2004. 6 January 2005. 2004. 6 January 2005.

<http://www.mondoalternativo.com/shopsite_tx/store/html/feng_shui.htm>.<http://www.mondoalternativo.com/shopsite_tx/store/html/feng_shui.htm>.

Guthrie, William B. “Pakua.” Guthrie, William B. “Pakua.” MMV Encyclopedia Mythica.MMV Encyclopedia Mythica. 26 March 1997. 4 January 26 March 1997. 4 January 2005. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pakua.html>.2005. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/pakua.html>.

Hales, Stephen. “Rex in the Classroom 2005.” Hales, Stephen. “Rex in the Classroom 2005.” HandoutHandout. 2005.. 2005.

““I Ching.” I Ching.” Asia Rooms.Asia Rooms. 1996. 5 January 2005. 1996. 5 January 2005. <http://www.asiarooms.com/china-<http://www.asiarooms.com/china-travel-guide/culture/Myths/paqua.html>.travel-guide/culture/Myths/paqua.html>.

Nanian, Richard A. “Advanced Composition for the Humanities.” Nanian, Richard A. “Advanced Composition for the Humanities.” George George Mason Mason UniversityUniversity. 5 January 2005. . 5 January 2005. <http://www.classweb.gmu.edu/rnanian/302main.html>.<http://www.classweb.gmu.edu/rnanian/302main.html>.

““The Trigrams.” The Trigrams.” I Ching Resources. I Ching Resources. 4 January 2005. 4 January 2005. <http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_resources/trigrams.html>.<http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_resources/trigrams.html>.