The Bagua map, rooted in ancient Chinese cosmology and philosophy, represents the dynamic balance of opposites and the continuous flow of the universe’s energy through the concept of the Taiji (Tai Chi). The Bagua divides the Taiji into eight trigrams, each symbolizing a different facet of the natural world and human life.
Early references to the Bagua are present in the ancient Chinese divination text “Yijing” or “Book of Changes,” dating back to the Western Zhou period (1046–771 BCE). Here, the Bagua is a symbolic system illustrating the fundamental principles of reality and the patterns of universal change.
Eventually, the Bagua became a key element in Feng Shui, the Chinese practice of aligning individuals with their surroundings. In this context, the Bagua map is used to assess the energy flow in a space and understand its connection to different life aspects such as health, wealth, and relationships.
Modern Feng Shui practitioners and authors popularized the current form of the Bagua map in the 20th century. They transformed the traditional Bagua trigrams into a nine-section grid that can be superimposed on a home’s floor plan or individual rooms. This modern Bagua map is now globally used in Feng Shui to enhance a space’s energy flow and create an environment that supports the inhabitants’ well-being and aspirations.