Fuxi Draws the Eight Trigrams

The Origin of the Trigrams

Looking up at heaven's patterns and down at earth's laws, near at his own body and far at all things, Fuxi created the Eight Trigrams to comprehend the workings of gods and the forms of all things.

The Book of Changes says of Fuxi (Baoxi): "He looked up to observe the patterns of heaven, down to examine the laws of earth, and marked the markings of birds and beasts and what suited the land. Near, he took from his own body; far, from all things. Thus he created the Eight Trigrams, to penetrate the virtues of the spirits and classify the dispositions of all beings."