Hexagram 48
The Well
井 (Jǐng)
Water over Wind
Hexagram 48 represents the inexhaustible source of nourishment and wisdom that sustains communities across generations. Like a well that provides water to all who draw from it, this hexagram symbolizes the enduring resources, traditions, and knowledge that remain constant while everything around them changes. The well serves everyone equally, never running dry when properly maintained, representing the timeless principles and essential resources that support human life and civilization throughout the ages.
Key Concepts
The Judgment (卦辞)
Translation: "The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases. They come and go and draw from the well. If one gets down almost to the water and the rope does not go all the way, or the jug breaks, it brings misfortune."
Hexagram 48 teaches us about the enduring nature of essential resources and fundamental truths that remain constant despite superficial changes in our lives and societies. While towns may be rebuilt, governments may change, and fashions may come and go, the well remains in the same place, offering the same life-giving water to all who approach it with proper preparation. This hexagram reminds us that certain foundational elements of human existence transcend temporal circumstances and continue to provide sustenance across generations. The well represents not just physical resources, but also the deep wells of wisdom, tradition, and spiritual nourishment that communities draw upon throughout history.
The warning about the rope not reaching the water or the jug breaking carries profound significance for our modern lives. It teaches that having access to resources is not enough; we must also possess the proper tools, skills, and commitment to draw from them effectively. Many people stand beside wells of opportunity, knowledge, or spiritual wisdom but fail to benefit because they lack the discipline to lower their bucket all the way down, or they approach carelessly and break their vessel. Success requires not just proximity to resources but the patience and proper preparation to access them fully and safely.
The Image (大象传)
君子以劳民劝相。
Translation: "Water over wood: the image of The Well. Thus the superior person encourages the people at their work and exhorts them to help one another."
The image of water over wood represents the wooden bucket that draws water from the well's depths, bringing nourishment to the surface where it can benefit the community. This powerful symbol illustrates how leadership and community service function most effectively. Just as the wooden bucket serves as the instrument that makes the well's water accessible to all, the superior person acts as a facilitator who helps people access and share the resources and wisdom available to the community. The well itself does nothing actively; it simply exists as a source. But through the proper tools and collective effort, its benefits reach everyone who needs them.
The emphasis on encouraging people at their work and promoting mutual assistance reveals a profound understanding of sustainable community development. True leaders do not hoard resources or knowledge but instead create systems and foster attitudes that allow everyone to draw from the common well of human potential and shared resources. By encouraging cooperation and mutual support, communities ensure that the well continues to serve all members effectively, and that no one is left without access to essential sustenance, whether physical, intellectual, or spiritual.
The Six Lines (六爻)
Six at the Beginning (初六)
Bottom line - Yin
"One does not drink the mud of the well. No animals come to an old well."
This line represents a well that has fallen into disrepair and neglect, its water contaminated with mud and sediment. When we fail to maintain our inner resources or allow our skills and knowledge to stagnate, we become like this abandoned well that serves no one. The image warns against complacency and neglect of our fundamental capacities. To remain valuable to ourselves and our community, we must continuously refresh our knowledge, clean out accumulated mental debris, and ensure that what we offer others remains pure and nourishing rather than contaminated by outdated thinking or neglected development.
Nine in the Second Place (九二)
Second line - Yang
"At the wellhole one shoots fishes. The jug is broken and leaks."
This line depicts wasted potential and misdirected effort. The well contains water, but instead of being used for its proper purpose of nourishing people, it becomes a place for catching small fish, and even this minor activity fails because the jug is broken. This represents situations where we possess valuable resources or abilities but squander them on trivial pursuits or lack the proper vessels to contain and deliver our gifts effectively. The lesson is to recognize the true value of what we have and ensure we have the right tools and intentions to use our resources for their highest purpose.
Nine in the Third Place (九三)
Third line - Yang
"The well is cleaned, but no one drinks from it. This is my heart's sorrow, for one might draw from it. If the king were clear-minded, good fortune might be enjoyed in common."
A poignant line describing the sorrow of unrecognized value and unused potential. The well has been properly cleaned and maintained, its water is pure and ready to nourish, yet no one comes to drink. This represents talented individuals whose abilities go unrecognized, or wisdom that remains unheeded. The reference to the king's clear-mindedness suggests that recognition and utilization of available resources depends on the awareness and wisdom of those in positions to direct community attention. When leaders recognize and promote access to valuable resources, everyone benefits from the shared fortune.
Six in the Fourth Place (六四)
Fourth line - Yin
"The well is being lined. No blame."
This line represents a period of necessary maintenance and improvement. Lining the well with stone or brick prevents collapse and contamination, ensuring the water remains clean and accessible for the long term. Though the well cannot be used during this renovation period, the work is essential and brings no blame because it serves the greater good. In our lives, this represents times when we must temporarily withdraw from active service to strengthen our foundations, deepen our knowledge, or restore our inner resources. Such periods of self-improvement and infrastructure building are not selfish but necessary for sustained contribution to our communities.
Nine in the Fifth Place (九五)
Fifth line - Yang
"In the well there is a clear, cold spring from which one can drink."
The ideal condition of the well is achieved at this line, representing purity, clarity, and refreshing nourishment available to all. The cold spring water symbolizes wisdom and resources that are not only abundant but of the highest quality, untainted by impurities or selfish motivations. This is the state we should aspire to in our own development: becoming sources of clear, refreshing insight and assistance that others can draw upon freely. When we reach this level of clarity and purity in our knowledge, skills, or spiritual development, we become invaluable resources to our communities, offering sustenance that truly nourishes and revitalizes those who partake.
Six at the Top (上六)
Top line - Yin
"One draws from the well without hindrance. It is dependable. Supreme good fortune."
The culminating line represents the well in its most beneficial state: freely accessible, reliable, and open to all without restriction or covering. This symbolizes the highest achievement of any resource or person who serves the community—complete availability and trustworthiness. The supreme good fortune comes not from hoarding or controlling access to resources, but from making them freely available to all who need them. When we develop ourselves to this point of generous, reliable service, we achieve the greatest fulfillment and bring the most benefit to the world. The well that is never covered serves continuously, generation after generation.
Love & Relationships (爱情)
In matters of the heart, hexagram 48 teaches that lasting relationships are built on deep, inexhaustible wells of mutual respect, understanding, and emotional nourishment. Like a well that serves a community across generations, true love provides consistent sustenance that doesn't diminish with use but actually deepens through regular drawing upon its resources. The key is maintaining the purity of this emotional well by regularly clearing away accumulated resentments, refreshing communication, and ensuring that both partners can freely access the nourishment the relationship provides. Superficial attractions may change like towns being rebuilt, but the deep well of genuine connection remains constant and life-giving.
For those seeking relationships, this hexagram advises becoming like a clean, well-maintained well yourself—a source of emotional nourishment and stability that others can depend upon. However, the warning about the broken jug applies here as well: you must also develop the capacity to receive love and draw from the wells others offer. Many relationships fail not because love is absent, but because one or both partners lack the proper "vessels" of emotional maturity, communication skills, or vulnerability needed to access and contain the nourishment available. Work on developing these capacities so you can both give and receive love effectively.
In established relationships, focus on maintaining the well rather than taking it for granted. Regular attention to the relationship's foundations, clearing away debris of daily frustrations, and ensuring open access to emotional intimacy keeps the relationship fresh and nourishing. Like the well that must be lined and cleaned periodically, relationships require maintenance work. Don't wait until the water becomes muddy or the structure begins to crumble. Invest in your relationship's infrastructure through quality time, honest communication, and mutual support, ensuring it remains a reliable source of joy and sustenance for both partners throughout all of life's changes.
Career & Business (事业)
Professionally, hexagram 48 emphasizes developing yourself into a reliable, inexhaustible resource within your field. Like a well that serves the community, your career success depends on becoming someone others can consistently depend upon for quality work, sound advice, or specialized expertise. This means continuously maintaining and deepening your professional knowledge, keeping your skills fresh and relevant, and ensuring that what you offer the marketplace remains pure and valuable rather than contaminated by outdated methods or superficial trends. The most successful professionals are those who, like clean wells, provide consistent value that doesn't diminish even when drawn upon repeatedly.
For entrepreneurs and business leaders, this hexagram teaches the importance of building sustainable business models based on genuine value creation rather than exploitation of temporary opportunities. Your business should function like a community well, providing essential products or services that people can rely upon across time. Focus on building infrastructure, developing systems, and creating organizational knowledge that outlasts individual employees or market fluctuations. The businesses that endure are those that serve fundamental human needs with consistency and reliability, just as wells have served communities for thousands of years by providing access to the essential resource of water.
The warning about the rope not reaching the water or the jug breaking has particular relevance in professional contexts. Many people have access to tremendous opportunities, resources, or knowledge but fail to benefit because they don't fully commit to the effort required to draw from these wells effectively. In your career, ensure you have the proper tools, training, and persistence to fully access the opportunities available to you. Don't stop just short of success, and don't approach valuable opportunities with inadequate preparation that causes you to "break your jug" and waste the chance. Invest in developing the skills and discipline needed to draw fully from your career's potential.
Health & Wellness (健康)
In health matters, hexagram 48 reminds us that our bodies are like wells that require regular maintenance to continue providing the vitality and energy we need for life. Just as a well must be kept clean and its structure maintained, our physical health depends on consistent attention to nutrition, exercise, rest, and preventive care. The water in a well doesn't create itself; it comes from deep sources that must remain unpolluted. Similarly, our health draws from deep reserves of vitality that we must protect through healthy lifestyle choices and by avoiding toxins, whether physical, emotional, or environmental. Regular maintenance prevents the need for major repairs later.
The hexagram's emphasis on the well serving the community also applies to health. Your physical and mental wellness affects not only you but everyone who depends on you—family, colleagues, friends, and community members. When you neglect your health, you become like a muddy well that cannot nourish others. Conversely, when you maintain your vitality through proper self-care, you become a source of energy and positive influence for those around you. This perspective transforms health maintenance from a selfish concern into a form of service, motivating more consistent attention to wellness practices that keep your personal well clean and flowing.
For those dealing with health challenges, the image of lining the well offers hope and guidance. Sometimes healing requires a period of focused attention and reconstruction, during which you may not be able to serve others as you normally would. This is not only acceptable but necessary for long-term health. Don't feel guilty about taking time to strengthen your foundations, whether through medical treatment, therapy, lifestyle changes, or rest. The temporary withdrawal from activity serves the greater purpose of ensuring you can continue to be a source of vitality and contribution for years to come. Invest in your health infrastructure now to ensure sustainable wellness throughout your life.
Financial Matters (财运)
Financially, hexagram 48 teaches the wisdom of building sustainable sources of wealth rather than chasing temporary windfalls. Like a well that provides water year after year, true financial security comes from developing reliable income streams, building valuable skills, and creating systems that generate consistent returns over time. The well doesn't produce water through dramatic effort but through connection to deep, reliable sources. Similarly, your financial strategy should focus on tapping into sustainable sources of value creation—whether through career development, business building, or wise investments—rather than gambling on speculative opportunities that may yield quick returns but lack long-term reliability.
The hexagram's warning about the broken jug has particular relevance for financial management. Many people have access to good income or investment opportunities but fail to build wealth because they lack the proper "vessels" to contain it—meaning budgeting discipline, savings habits, or investment knowledge. Money flows through their hands like water through a broken jug, leaving nothing accumulated despite adequate income. Focus on developing the financial infrastructure and habits needed to capture and preserve the wealth you generate. This includes emergency funds, retirement accounts, and investment portfolios that serve as lined wells, protecting and preserving your financial resources for future use.
Consider also the communal aspect of the well in your financial life. Wealth that serves only yourself is like a covered well that benefits no one. True financial success includes the capacity to support family, contribute to community, and help others access opportunities. This doesn't mean impoverishing yourself through excessive generosity, but rather ensuring that your financial well is deep and clean enough to serve multiple purposes: your own security, your family's needs, and your community's welfare. When you build wealth with this broader perspective, you create financial resources that, like a good well, can serve across generations and benefit many people beyond yourself.
Personal Growth (个人成长)
Hexagram 48 offers profound guidance for personal development by presenting the well as a metaphor for the inner resources of wisdom, character, and spiritual depth that we cultivate throughout life. Just as a well connects to underground sources of water, personal growth involves tapping into deeper levels of consciousness, wisdom, and authentic self-understanding that lie beneath the surface of everyday awareness. The work of personal development is like maintaining a well: regularly clearing away the debris of limiting beliefs, refreshing your understanding through new learning and experiences, and ensuring that the wisdom you've accumulated remains accessible and pure rather than stagnant or contaminated by ego or bitterness.
The image of the well that serves the community while remaining unchanged teaches an important lesson about authentic personal growth. True development doesn't mean constantly reinventing yourself to match external trends or others' expectations. Rather, it means deepening your connection to timeless principles and enduring values while allowing superficial aspects of your life to change as needed. Like the well that remains in place while towns are rebuilt around it, your core values and authentic self should provide stable reference points even as your circumstances, roles, and external identity evolve. This stability allows you to serve as a reliable resource for others while maintaining your own integrity and sense of self.
The warning about the rope not reaching the water applies powerfully to personal growth. Many people have access to tremendous resources for development—books, teachers, experiences, opportunities—but fail to benefit because they don't commit fully to the inner work required. They stop just short of real transformation, unwilling to lower their bucket all the way down into the uncomfortable depths where true change occurs. Personal growth requires the courage to go deep, to face what you find in the depths of yourself, and to do the sustained work of drawing wisdom up from those depths into conscious awareness and daily practice. Don't settle for superficial self-improvement; commit to the deep work that truly transforms.
Timing & Advice (时机与建议)
The timing indicated by hexagram 48 is one of steady, reliable presence rather than dramatic action or rapid change. This is not a moment for chasing new opportunities or reinventing yourself, but rather for deepening your connection to enduring sources of value, wisdom, and sustenance in your life. Focus on maintenance and improvement of existing resources rather than seeking entirely new ones. Like a community that invests in maintaining its well rather than constantly searching for new water sources, you should attend to the foundations that already support your life, ensuring they remain clean, accessible, and capable of providing what you need. This is a time for depth rather than breadth, for quality rather than quantity.
The hexagram advises becoming a reliable resource for others while also ensuring you can draw from reliable resources yourself. Examine your life for the "wells" you depend upon—relationships, practices, knowledge sources, spiritual traditions—and ensure you're maintaining proper access to them. Are your ropes long enough? Are your vessels intact? Do you have the discipline to draw fully from the resources available to you? Simultaneously, consider how you serve as a well for others. Are you maintaining the purity and accessibility of what you offer? Are you allowing others to draw from your knowledge, support, or resources without hindrance? Balance giving and receiving, serving and being nourished.
Above all, this hexagram counsels patience with natural processes and trust in enduring values. In a world obsessed with innovation and constant change, the well reminds us that some things should not change, that some resources and principles remain valuable precisely because they transcend temporary trends. Don't abandon what has proven reliable in pursuit of what is merely novel. At the same time, don't neglect maintenance in the assumption that what has always worked will continue to work without attention. The well serves reliably only when properly maintained. Apply this wisdom to all areas of your life: honor what endures, maintain what sustains, and trust that depth and reliability ultimately prove more valuable than superficial novelty.