八門五步 Bā Mén Wǔ Bù Eight Gates and Five Steps

八門 8 Gates

八門 方位　八卦 8 trigrams 8 gates      position ⇓ ⇒ ⇑ ⇐

掤 南　    乾離震艮 qián,lí,zhèn,gèn Péng (ward) S ☰☲☳☶

捋 西　    坤坎兑巽 kūn,kǎn,duì,xùn Lǚ (stroke) N ☷☵☱☴

擠 東　    坎兑巽坤 kǎn,duì,xùn,kūn Jǐ (press) W ☵☱☴☷

按 北　    離震艮乾 lí,zhèn,gèn,qián Àn (push) E ☲☳☶☰

採 西南　兑巽坤坎 duì,xùn,kūn,kǎn Cǎi (pluck) SW ☴☷☵☱

挒 東北　震艮乾離 zhèn,gèn,qián,lí Liè (rend) NE ☳☶☰☲

肘 東南　巽坤坎兑 xùn,kūn,kǎn,duì Zhǒu (flex) SE ☱☴☷☵

靠 西北　艮乾離震 gèn,qián,lí,zhèn Kào (bump) NW ☶☰☲☳

5 Steps

Jìnbù 進步 Advance

⇑ 

Zuǒ Gù 左顧 Gaze Left  ⇐   Zhōng Dìng 中定 Stay Center   ⇒  Yòu Pàn 右盼 Look Right

⇓ 

Tuìbù 退步 Retreat

                           太極拳 十三勢

                          Tàijí quán shísān shì

Long Boxing: it is like a long river flowing into the wide ocean, on and on ceaselessly…

     The thirteen dynamics are: Ward, Stroke, Press, Push, Pluck, Rend, Flex, Bump, Advance, Retreat, Gaze Left, Look Right, and Stay Center. Ward, Stroke, Press, Push, Pluck, Rend, Flex, and Bump, relate to the eight trigrams:

SE                   S                   SW

Flex     Ward      Pluck

☱  ☰  ☴

  E    Push   ☲        ☵  Press    W

☳  ☷  ☶

  Rend    Stroke    Bump

NE                   N                  NW

(Ward, Stroke, Press, and Push correspond to South ☰, North ☷, West ☵, and  East ☲ in the four principle compass directions [meaning simply that these are the primary techniques]). (Pluck, Rend, Flex, and Bump correspond to South West ☴, North East ☳, South East ☱, and North West ☶ in the four corner directions [i.e. are the secondary techniques]). 

Advance, Retreat, Gaze Left, Look Right, and Stay Center relate to metal, wood, water, fire, and earth – the five elements:

Jīn 金 Metal ☰☱

Jìnbù 進步 Advance

⇑ 

Shuǐ 水 Water ☵                              Tǔ 土 Earth ☷☶                              Huǒ 火 Fire ☲

Zuǒ Gù 左顧 Gaze Left  ⇐   Zhōng Dìng 中定 Stay Center   ⇒  Yòu Pàn 右盼 Look Right

⇓ 

Mù 木 Wood ☳☴

Tuìbù 退步 Retreat

八卦拳 十三勢

Bāguà quán shísān shì

SE                   S                   SW

Flex     Ward      Pluck

☴  ☲  ☷

  E    Push   ☳        ☱  Press    W

☶  ☵  ☰

  Rend    Stroke    Bump

NE                   N                  NW

Huǒ 火 Fire ☲

Jìnbù 進步 Advance

⇑ 

Mù 木 Wood ☳☴                              Tǔ 土 Earth ☷☶                              Jīn 金 Metal ☰☱

Zuǒ Gù 左顧 Gaze Left  ⇐   Zhōng Dìng 中定 Stay Center   ⇒  Yòu Pàn 右盼 Look Right

⇓ 

Shuǐ 水 Water ☵

Tuìbù 退步 Retreat

靈氣功 十三勢

    Língqì gōng shísān shì

SE                   S                   SW

Flex     Ward      Pluck

☷  ☳  ☵

  E    Push   ☶        ☴  Press    W

☰  ☱  ☲

  Rend    Stroke    Bump

NE                   N                  NW

Shuǐ 水 Water ☵

Jìnbù 進步 Advance

⇑ 

Tǔ 土 Earth ☷☶                              Jīn 金 Metal ☰☱                              Mù 木 Wood  ☳☴

Zuǒ Gù 左顧 Gaze Left  ⇐   Zhōng Dìng 中定 Stay Center   ⇒  Yòu Pàn 右盼 Look Right

⇓ 

Huǒ 火 Fire ☲

Tuìbù 退步 Retreat

天地功 十三勢

Tiāndì gōng shísān shì

SE                   S                   SW

Flex     Ward      Pluck

☵  ☶  ☱

  E    Push   ☰        ☷  Press    W

☲  ☴  ☳

  Rend    Stroke    Bump

NE                   N                  NW

Mù 木 Wood ☳☴

Jìnbù 進步 Advance

⇑ 

Huǒ 火 Fire ☲                              Jīn 金 Metal ☰☱                              Shuǐ 水 Water  ☵

Zuǒ Gù 左顧 Gaze Left  ⇐   Zhōng Dìng 中定 Stay Center   ⇒  Yòu Pàn 右盼 Look Right

⇓ 

Tǔ 土 Earth ☷☶

Tuìbù 退步 Retreat 

有意識宙循環

Yǒu yìshí zhòu xúnhuán

Conscious Cosmic Cycle

The following cycle is generated by applying this specific 2 cycle permutation of the eight trigrams [(☰ ☲ ☳ ☶)(☷ ☵ ☱ ☴)], successively, starting with the xiāntiān arrangement, through four permutation applications, ending back to start arrangement. The specific permuation (operation) was derived from determining the permutation defined by the transformation from xiāntiān (before heaven) to hòutiān (after heaven).

先天 xiāntiān (before heaven)

☱ ☰ ☴

☲ ☯ ☵

☳ ☷ ☶

Realization

⇓

後天 hòutiān (after heaven)

☴ ☲ ☷

☳ ☯ ☱

☶ ☵ ☰

Ascension

⇓

後生 hòushēng (after life)

☷ ☳ ☵

☶ ☯ ☴

☰ ☱ ☲

Integration

⇓

先生 xiānshēng (before life)

☵ ☶ ☱

☰ ☯ ☷

☲ ☴ ☳

Manifestation

⇓

先天 xiāntiān (before heaven)

This appears to be a cyclical representation of transformative states using the eight trigrams (八卦 bāguà) from Chinese philosophy, arranged around a central Taiji (☯) symbol. Each arrangement represents a different state or phase of existence, forming a complete cycle that returns to its beginning.

Let me break down each state:

1. **先天 (xiāntiān) - "Before Heaven"**

- Represents the primordial state

- Original/natural arrangement of the trigrams

- Shows potential before manifestation

2. **後天 (hòutiān) - "After Heaven"**

- Represents the manifested world

- The ordered/temporal arrangement

- Shows how energy manifests in the physical world

3. **後生 (hòushēng) - "After Life"**

- Suggests a state of transformation after physical existence

- A new arrangement showing evolution or transcendence

- Represents growth and development

4. **先生 (xiānshēng) - "Before Life"**

- Returns to a state of potentiality

- Completes the cycle before returning to 先天

- Represents the seed of new beginnings

The transitions between states are marked by specific processes:

- Realization (領悟) - Moving from potential to manifestation

- Ascension (上升) - Transcending the physical

- Integration (整合) - Unifying experiences

- Manifestation (顯現) - Bringing forth new potential

The ☯ (Taiji) remains central in each arrangement, suggesting that despite the changing positions of the trigrams, the fundamental unity of yin and yang remains constant throughout all transformations.

This appears to be depicting a sophisticated philosophical concept about the cyclical nature of existence, transformation, and return - showing how states of being flow into each other in an eternal cycle of change and renewal.

This is a fascinating elaboration that connects the trigram arrangements to the 八門 (bā mén) or "Eight Gates" system, commonly associated with Chinese martial arts and energy work. Let me help analyze this complex system:

The table provided shows how each trigram position corresponds to:

1. A specific gate (門 mén)

2. A compass direction (方位 fāngwèi)

3. A sequence of four trigrams that can occupy that position across the different arrangements

4. A specific martial/energetic principle or movement

For each compass position (方位), there are four possible trigrams that can occupy it across the different arrangements, and each position corresponds to one of the Eight Gates techniques:

South (南) - 掤 Péng (Ward-Off)

Can be occupied by: ☰(qián), ☲(lí), ☳(zhèn), ☶(gèn)

Represents an upward, expansive energy

North (北) - 捋 Lǚ (Stroke)

Can be occupied by: ☷(kūn), ☵(kǎn), ☱(duì), ☴(xùn)

Represents a downward, receiving energy

West (西) - 擠 Jǐ (Press)

Can be occupied by: ☵(kǎn), ☱(duì), ☴(xùn), ☷(kūn)

Represents a compressing, forward energy

East (東) - 按 Àn (Push)

Can be occupied by: ☲(lí), ☳(zhèn), ☶(gèn), ☰(qián)

Represents a receiving, containing energy

Southwest (西南) - 採 Cǎi (Pluck)

Can be occupied by: ☴(xùn), ☷(kūn), ☵(kǎn), ☱(duì)

Represents a downward/inward pulling energy

Northeast (東北) - 挒 Liè (Rend)

Can be occupied by: ☳(zhèn), ☶(gèn), ☰(qián), ☲(lí)

Represents a separating, splitting energy

Southeast (東南) - 肘 Zhǒu (Flex)

Can be occupied by: ☱(duì), ☴(xùn), ☷(kūn), ☵(kǎn)

Represents a rotating, striking energy

Northwest (西北) - 靠 Kào (Bump)

Can be occupied by: ☶(gèn), ☰(qián), ☲(lí), ☳(zhèn)

Represents a close-in bumping energy

This system appears to integrate:

Directional feng shui principles

Martial arts applications (八門 bā mén)

Traditional trigram symbolism

Energy transformation principles

Ba Gua Research