Hexagram 48 · ䷯
The town may be changed, but the well may not be changed. It neither loses nor gains. People come and go, drawing from the well. If one almost reaches the water...
Judgment
The town may be changed, but the well may not be changed. It neither loses nor gains. People come and go, drawing from the well. If one almost reaches the water but has not yet low...
Image
Water over wood represents the Well. The noble person comforts the people and urges them to help one another.
Lines
The well is muddy, not to be drunk from. An old well without animals. At the wellhole one shoots fishes. The pitcher is broken and leaks. The well is cleaned, but no one drinks fro...
The Well. The city may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases. They come and go and draw from the well. If the well has fallen in, it is not used. It brings misfortune if one draws the water before the rope has reached the water, or if the pitcher is broken.
The town may be changed, but the well may not be changed. It neither loses nor gains. People come and go, drawing from the well. If one almost reaches the water but has not yet lowered the rope into the well, or if the vessel breaks, there is misfortune.
The well gives rise to water that is drawn upward. The well nourishes inexhaustibly. The city may be changed, but the well cannot be changed, because the hard is in the middle. If the well has fallen in, it is not used: this means no achievement. If the pitcher is broken, this brings misfortune.
Wood goes down into the water and lifts the water upward: this is the Well. The well nourishes and does not run dry. The town may be changed, but the well may not be changed because firmness is in the middle. If one almost reaches the water but has not yet lowered the rope into the well, there is as yet no achievement. If the vessel breaks, there is misfortune.
Water over wood: the image of the Well. The noble person comforts the people and urges them to help one another.
Water over wood represents the Well. The noble person comforts the people and urges them to help one another.
The well is muddy, not to be drunk from. An old well without animals.
The well is muddy, not to be drunk from. An old well without animals.
Small Image
The well is muddy, not to be drunk from: this means he is below. An old well without animals: this is what the time abandons.
The muddy well not to be drunk from means he is below. An old well without animals shows what time abandons.
At the wellhole one shoots fishes. The pitcher is broken and leaks.
At the wellhole one shoots fishes. The pitcher is broken and leaks.
Small Image
At the wellhole one shoots fishes: there is no one to respond.
Shooting fishes at the wellhole shows no one responds.
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 is enlightened, good fortune will be shared by all.
The well is cleaned, but no one drinks from it. This is my heart's sorrow. If the king is enlightened, good fortune will be shared by all.
Small Image
The well is cleaned, but no one drinks from it: this is a cause for sorrow. If one might draw from it, this brings blessing: the king is enlightened.
The cleaned well not drunk from is sorrowful. Drawing from it brings blessing when the king is enlightened.
The well is being lined. No blame.
The well is being lined. No blame.
Small Image
The well is being lined: this means repairing the well.
The well being lined means repairing the well.
In the well there is a clear, cold spring from which one can drink.
In the well there is a clear, cold spring from which one can drink.
Small Image
One can drink from the cold spring: because of the correct middle.
Drinking from the cold spring comes from correct middle.
One draws from the well without hindrance. It is dependable. Supreme good fortune.
One draws from the well without hindrance. It is dependable. Supreme good fortune.
Small Image
Supreme good fortune at the top: great achievement.
Supreme good fortune at the top shows great achievement.
What does Ching / The Well mean in the I Ching?
The town may be changed, but the well may not be changed. It neither loses nor gains. People come and go, drawing from the well. If one almost reaches the water...
How should I study Hexagram 48 on this page?
Start with the judgment and image, then read the line statements in sequence. The well is muddy, not to be drunk from. An old well without animals. At the wellhole one shoots fishes. The pitcher is broken and leaks. The well is cleaned, but no one drinks fro...
How can this hexagram be applied in a modern reading?
Wood goes down into the water and lifts the water upward: this is the Well. The well nourishes and does not run dry. The town may be changed, but the well may not be changed because firmness is in the middle. If one almo...
Primary text: Zhouyi / I Ching, including the Judgment, Image, line texts, and related commentaries.
Translation basis: public-domain and modern study references, with AI used only as a learning aid.