Eight Section Brocade Chi Kung and the Eight Trigrams

Sequence C:  Trigrams, Bagua, and Eight Section Brocade (Ba Duan Jin) Exercises Correlations

Soft Qigong (Rou Gong), Inner Qigong (Nei Gong); Slow Pace, Gentle, Soft, At Ease, Relaxed (Sung), Rooted/Sunk, Yin Style

             

Eight Section Brocade Exercise	I Ch'ing Trigram	Parts of the Body Affected
1.  Pressing Up to the Heavens with Two Hands	South, Summer Ch'ien, Qián, Heaven, Sky, Air Intense Yang Lion	Heart, Small Intestine, Stomach, Lungs (The Triple Warmer)
2.  Drawing the Bow and Letting the Arrow Fly	Southwest, Mid-Summer Sun, Wind Yang Phoenix	Kidneys, Spleen, Waist, Eyes, Legs
4.  Wise Owl Gazes Backward	West, Autumn K'an, Water Yang-Yin Snake	Lungs, Immune System, Large Intestine
5.  Big Bear Turns from Side to Side	Northwest, Mid-Autumn Ken, Gèn, Mountain Yin-Yang Bear	Heart, Waist, Legs
3.  Separating Heaven and Earth	North, Winter K'un, Earth Intense Yin Unicorn, Qilin	Spleen, Kidneys, Bladder, Pancreas
8.  Shaking the Body	Northeast, Mid-Winter Chen, Zhèn, Thunder Yin Dragon	Immune System, Calves, Feet
6.  Punching with Angry Gaze	Spring, East Li, Fire Yin-Yang Hawk, Falcon	Liver, Gallbladder, Blood, Eyes
8.  Touching Toes then Bending Backwards	Southeast, Mid-Spring Tui, Lake Yang-Yin Monkey	Kidneys, Waist, Legs, Back

The above three charts were proposed in 2005 by Mike Garofalo, in his webpage on the Eight Section Brocade.  See also Mike's webpage on the Eight Trigrams.  

In 2014, Christina Barea-Young and Peyton Young provided another set of associations for the Eight Section Brocade movements with the Eight Trigrams in Qi Magazine (Volume 24, No. 2, 2014, p. 48).  

I find these kinds of correlations, associations, and relational charts quite inconsistent between various authors.  Yoga, Western Esoteric Magic, and Qigong have many of the same kind of charts and tables of correlations; again, with considerable inconsistency between various "masters."  Other than the "traditions of specific esoteric schools", I find the associations rather arbitrary and fanciful, primarily aids to remembering clusters of ideas, poetic devices, magical-metaphysical lore, and lacking in much pragmatic-scientific meaningfulness.  Contrast these charming and pre-scientific tables with the modern and justifiably famous "Periodic Table of the Elements" for a real lesson in an objective and empirical approach to understanding the world.  Nevertheless, these clusters of ideas may stimulate the imagination, and are fun for playing thought games.  


"The names of the 108 Forms are each symbolic and signify concepts removed from the literal  physicality of the object - horse, tiger, bird, and so forth.  Each name has its separate allusion, and metaphorically may connote an aspiration, a philosophical attitude towards self and  conduct, a turn of mind, a sense of being, some thought about life and spirit.  The true meanings are revealed when the T'ai-Chi Ch'uan exponent has advanced to that stage of experience comprehension where he can utilize the implication of the philosophical  intentions, and where the symbols can be part of his growing consciousness.  This happens only when the mind and body have "changed" and absorbed the reasons for mental, emotional, and physical unity."
-   Sophia Delza, The T'ai Chi Ch'uan Experience, 1996, p. 24

 
The above long chart is more readable on my Eight Section Brocade webpage, 441 KB, last updated on June 20, 2014.