Fu Xi: The Primordial Sage

This section will delve into the legend of Fu Xi, detailing his profound observations of natural patterns which led to the creation of the foundational eight trigrams (Bagua). We will also explore the significance of the River Map (He Tu) and Luo Shu Square in the context of these early myths surrounding the I Ching's origins.

The Wisdom of Observation

Legend paints Fu Xi as one of the earliest sage-kings, a figure of immense wisdom who lived in a time when humanity was first learning to understand the world. It's said that he spent long periods observing the heavens above and the earth below, noticing the cyclical patterns of nature: the changing seasons, the phases of the moon, the behavior of animals, and the flow of rivers. He wasn't just a passive observer; he sought to find the underlying principles that governed these changes.

The Birth of the Bagua

The pivotal moment in the myth of Fu Xi is his creation of the eight trigrams, known as the Bagua. The story often tells of him seeing these patterns emerge from the markings on the back of a mythical horse-dragon that rose from the Yellow River (the He Tu or River Map) or a turtle from the Luo River (the Luo Shu or Luo Scroll). These weren't just random scribbles; Fu Xi recognized them as symbols representing the fundamental forces and elements of the universe: Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Water, Fire, Mountain, and Lake.

Each trigram is a combination of three lines, either solid (representing Yang, the active, creative principle) or broken (representing Yin, the receptive, yielding principle). These eight simple yet profound symbols formed the initial building blocks of the I Ching, providing a way to categorize and understand the complexities of existence.

Fu Xi's contribution, as portrayed in these legends, was to provide humanity with a foundational tool for deciphering the language of the cosmos, a way to see the interconnectedness of all things and to understand the constant flow of change.