The Kan trigram is associated with the Water element and the direction of north. For those who are the Kan trigram based on their birth year, the direction of north would then be your “home base” direction and an area of the home or work space that would feel very cozy and comfortable.

A trigram is code for energy, which can be applied in many different formats in Chinese metaphysics and Kan can be also written as “K’an.” Chinese words have been transliterated in English using Wades-Giles or the Pin Yin format. As well, the word “trigram” is also called a “gua” or “kua.”

A trigram can relate to time, place, direction, colors, seasons, body areas and a family member. The symbolism is deep and can be extracted to suit the context in which the trigram is being used. The Kan trigram is associated with the middle son in the family structure or a middle-aged man in general. This does not mean that a woman who is the Kan trigram is masculine. All of the symbolism associated with the trigram has to be understood within context.

The image for Kan from the Yi Jing is of a deep body of water or an abyss. In Chinese medicine, water is associated with the emotion of fear. Kan people can be more emotional than others, but as well some of the most creative people.

The Kan person’s best direction for attracting wealth is the Southeast, according to the Ba Zhai School of Feng Shui. This is just about personal magnetism and it is not taking into consideration the area of the house or business which can attract wealth for anyone, regardless of their birth data.

A secondary wealth attracting location for the Kan trigram person is the direction of East. These directions being referred to have a 45 degree range and can be correctly identified using a compass. Directions are always relative so from the center of your house you would be able to see the range of directions fanning around the center to locate any of the eight basic directions. That said, a compass could be disturbed if the reading is taken indoors, especially in a multi-storied metal infrastructure. This is why a professional consultant will take a compass reading outside and then super-impose the compass points over a floor plan sketch.

For a Kan trigram person, the direction of south is one which can harness good will and make a person appear more trustworthy and likable. This harmonious energy can be utilized within the home or for professional relations too.

Within the Ba Zhai School, also known as the Eight Mansion School, the Kan person is considered easterly, which means they favor the directions of North, South, East and Southeast. The West Group people favor the directions of Southwest, Northwest, West and Northeast. Beyond the scope of this article, there are mathematical and astronomical calculations which were used initially to derive these directional distinctions and groups.

Kan people can be prone to weakness in the areas of kidneys, blood, circulation, ears or any other fluid systems of the body including bladder or prostate.

The trigrams repeat perpetually every nine years. Those born in 1945, 1954, 1963, 1972, 1981, 1990, etc. are the Kan trigram. The Feng Shui Solar calendar begins on February 4th or 5th, not on January 1st.

Within the classical Feng Shui community, some practitioners distinguish between male and female trigrams for each year of birth, while others rely on the pre-Ba Zhai School teachings which do not make a distinction between male and female in any given year. I have listed birth years for what would be considered only the male trigram, according to present-day Eight Mansion practitioners.

The Ba Zhai School was altered in the 8th century to allow for separate male and female trigrams, but the origins of Feng Shui have been documented more than a thousand years prior. Practitioners of Nine Star Ki also use the same year trigram for both males and females.

Author: Kartar Diamond
Company: Feng Shui Solutions (R) Since 1992
From the Health and Personal Matters Blog Series