Hexagram 48: The Well
䷯ 井 Jǐng – The Book of Changes
The Judgment
Looking at the Well, we think of how the site of a town may be changed while the fashion of its wells undergoes no change. The water of a well never disappears and never receives any great increase, and those who come and those who go can draw and enjoy the benefit. If the drawing has nearly been accomplished, but before the rope has quite reached the water the bucket is broken, this is evil.
The Image
Water above wood: the image of the Well. Thus the superior man comforts the people, and stimulates them to mutual helpfulness.
Description
The Well (Jing) is the source that stays the same even when towns move: water drawn up from the depths, available to everyone. It stands for the inexhaustible resources of human nature and society. The task is to keep the well in repair and the rope long enough to reach the water.
The six lines
A line's place shapes its role: 1 the beginning, 2 the center of the inner world, 3 the threshold to the outside, 4 close to power, 5 the ruler's place, 6 the end and the excess. Keep this grid in mind and the line texts become much easier to read. More in the guide →
-
Line 1: Old Yin (bottom)
The well is deep. Favorable — truth lies below the surface; draw carefully.
-
Line 2: Old Yang
The well is dry. Danger — neglect starves the soul; restore the source.
-
Line 3: Old Yang
The well is clear. Favorable — clarity nourishes all; share your wisdom.
-
Line 4: Old Yin
The well is blocked. Danger — stagnation breeds decay; cleanse the channel.
-
Line 5: Old Yang
The well is restored. Favorable — life flows again; drink and be renewed.
-
Line 6: Old Yin (top)
The well endures. Favorable — the source remains; return often.
Reading by area of life
❤️ What does hexagram 48 mean for relationships and private life?
Go back to the source of your connection: what nourished you both in the first place. Shared values and genuine care don't run dry, but routine or neglect can block access to them. Repair the well: talk deeply, help each other practically. Don't stop just short of real understanding; finish the conversation that matters. Mutual support is the water everyone can draw.
💼 What does hexagram 48 mean for work and money?
Infrastructure and fundamentals matter now. Maintain systems, train people, keep the basics in good repair. Organizations change, but needs stay the same; serve them reliably and you will always be valued. Watch for projects that fail at the last step through carelessness, and follow through all the way. A team that shares knowledge freely works like a well that never runs dry.
🌌 What does hexagram 48 mean for your personal path and spirituality?
Beneath personality lies a deep spring shared by all people. Practice is the rope and bucket that bring its water up. Keep them in good order: regular discipline, honest reflection, teachings that reach deep enough. A broken bucket at the last moment wastes the whole effort. Then share what you draw; a well exists for everyone, and the source is never depleted by giving.
Nuclear hexagram
Lines 2, 3 and 4 form the lower trigram, lines 3, 4 and 5 the upper one. Leaving out the beginning and the end reveals the core of the situation, what is at work out of sight. It is a secondary aspect, not a second verdict. If it seems to contradict the main hexagram, that happens and is not an error. More in the guide →
Lines 2, 3, 4 and 3, 4, 5 form nuclear hexagram 38, Opposition. It shows what is at work beneath the surface – an inner tendency, not a verdict on the situation itself.
Hexagram 38 – Opposition
Opposition indicates that, notwithstanding the condition of things which it denotes, in small matters there will still be good success.
The two trigrams
- Upper, outer: Kan – Water
- The Abysmal (Middle Son). Within, it stands for trial, depth and commitment; without, for a passage through the dark that brings hidden resources to light.
- Lower, inner: Xun – Wind
- The Gentle (Eldest Daughter). Within, it works as quiet penetration that loosens inner blockages; without, as a connecting force that brings people and events together in the current of fate.