䷯ The Well jǐng
Core Meaning
The Well hexagram reveals the wisdom of constant nourishment. The value of a well lies in continuous dedication. The Well hexagram emphasizes: cultivate constant virtue, 'the town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed' – stick to one's duties without wavering; be able to nourish others, 'the well nourishes without exhaustion' – continuous dedication; constantly repair and maintain, 'the well is cleansed' and 'the well is lined' – continuously improve oneself; achieve a good ending, 'almost reaches the water and breaks the jar' – do not fail at the last step; be open and sharing, 'the well is closed, but not covered' – share benefits without selfishness. In modern society, the spirit of the well is very important: teachers are like wells, continuously educating people; doctors are like wells, saving lives and healing the wounded; businesses are like wells, serving society. The Well hexagram tells us: value lies in dedication, 'the well nourishes without exhaustion'; success lies in persistence, 'almost reaches the water and breaks the jar' – failure at the last step is most regrettable; constancy lies in maintenance, 'the well is cleansed' and 'the well is lined' – continuous improvement. True value is like a well, upholding one's duty and continuously dedicating oneself.
The Judgment
The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. There is no loss and no gain. People come and go, drawing water from the well. If one almost reaches the water but does not draw it up, and instead breaks the jar, it is ill omened.
Interpretation:
The town can be moved, but the well cannot be moved. There is no loss and no gain. People come and go, drawing water without ceasing. One almost reaches the mouth of the well but fails to draw water, and breaks the water jar, which is inauspicious.
The Image
Water over Wood, forming a well; The superior person encourages people to work together and assist each other.
Structure
The Jing (Well) hexagram has Sun (Wind/Wood) below and Kan (Water) above. Sun represents wood and entering, positioned below, while Kan represents water above, forming the image of a well with water and wind. A wooden implement penetrates the well to draw water upwards, which is the imagery of 'The Well'. A well provides constant nourishment. The lower trigram Sun represents entering, and the upper trigram Kan represents water, symbolizing entering the water to draw it up. The virtue of the well lies in its constancy: 'The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed' – its position is fixed; it nourishes without exhaustion: 'no loss and no gain' – inexhaustible; it serves the public: 'people come and go, drawing water from the well' – available to all; it values successful completion: 'if one almost reaches the water and breaks the jar' – failure at the last step is inauspicious. The Jing hexagram teaches: one should possess constant virtue, like a well upholding its duty; one should nourish others: 'the well nourishes without exhaustion' – continuous dedication; one should cultivate oneself: 'the well is cleansed' and 'the well is lined' – continuous improvement; one should strive for a good ending: 'almost reaches the water and breaks the jar' – the final decisive step is crucial.
The Lines
The six lines are read from bottom to top, representing the progression from the foundation to the culmination.
Initial Six: The well is muddy and cannot be drunk from. An old well, no animals come to it.
Nine in the second place: The well shaft shoots fish. The jar is broken and leaks.
Nine in the third place: The well is clear but cannot be drunk from. This pierces my heart. It is usable for drawing water, if the king is enlightened, and shares in its blessings.
Six in the fourth place: The well is lined. No blame.
Nine in the fifth place: The well is clear and clean; cold springs can be drunk from.
Top Six: The well is closed, but not covered. There is truth and supreme good fortune.
Modern Interpretation
💼 Career & Business
Career should be as constant as a well. 'The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed', stick to one's main business and do not change it lightly. 'The well nourishes without exhaustion', continuously provide value. The Initial Six's 'well is muddy and cannot be drunk from' is the worst, long abandoned, 'an old well, no animals come to it' – nobody cares. The Nine in the second place's 'well shaft shoots fish' is also not good, can only support small fish, 'the jar is broken and leaks' – tools are damaged. The Nine in the third place's 'well is clear but cannot be drunk from' is most regrettable, it's clean but unused, 'this pierces my heart' – it's heartbreaking, needs an 'enlightened king' to discover, 'and shares in its blessings' – share the benefits. The Six in the fourth place's 'well is lined' is being repaired, 'no blame' – though not complete, it's improving. The Nine in the fifth place's 'well is clear and clean; cold springs can be drunk from' is the best, the water is clear and drinkable, 'central and upright' – fulfilling its value. The Top Six's 'well is closed, but not covered' is perfect completion, 'there is truth and supreme good fortune' – open sharing brings great fortune. Remember: continuously provide value, constantly improve yourself, and a good beginning and end are most important.
❤️ Relationships
Relationships should be as constant as a well. 'The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed', relationships should be dedicated and constant. 'The well nourishes without exhaustion', continuously give care. The Initial Six's 'well is muddy and cannot be drunk from' means the relationship is neglected, 'an old well, no animals come to it' – abandoned. The Nine in the second place's 'well shaft shoots fish' implies too small a scope, 'the jar is broken and leaks' – the way of giving is problematic. The Nine in the third place's 'well is clear but cannot be drunk from' is most regrettable, one is already good but not cherished, 'this pierces my heart' – it's heartbreaking, needs an 'enlightened king' with keen insights. The Six in the fourth place's 'well is lined' means it is being improved, 'no blame' – the relationship is being repaired. The Nine in the fifth place's 'well is clear and clean; cold springs can be drunk from' is ideal, the relationship is clear and pure, 'central and upright' – mutually nourishing. The Top Six's 'well is closed, but not covered' means an open heart, 'there is truth and supreme good fortune' – sincere treatment. The most feared is 'almost reaches the water and breaks the jar', almost succeeding but failing at the last step. Remember: relationships need to be constant, involve giving, improving, and having a good ending.
🎯 Decision Making
Decisions should adhere to value creation. 'The well nourishes without exhaustion', continuously creating value is fundamental. One must 'change the town but not the well', sticking to the core; 'no loss and no gain', constant stability; 'people come and go, drawing water from the well', serving the public. The most feared is 'the well is muddy and cannot be drunk from' – abandoning one's main business, or 'the well shaft shoots fish' – having too small a scope. The Nine in the third place's 'well is clear but cannot be drunk from' warns that even if something is good, if it's unappreciated, it needs an 'enlightened king' to discover it. The Six in the fourth place's 'well is lined' means continuously improving and perfecting. The Nine in the fifth place's 'well is clear and clean' is ideal, clear and pure, 'central and upright' – realizing its maximum value. The Top Six's 'well is closed, but not covered' is the highest realm, open and shared, 'there is truth and supreme good fortune'. Most crucial is 'if one almost reaches the water but does not draw it up, and instead breaks the jar, it is ill omened' – never fail at the last step. Remember: adhere to value, continuously dedicate, constantly improve, and have a good beginning and end.
⚠️ Warning & Caution
The greatest warning of the Well hexagram is failing at the last step. 'If one almost reaches the water but does not draw it up, and instead breaks the jar, it is ill omened' is the most important, failure when close to success is most regrettable. Be wary of: abandoning one's core business and becoming 'muddy well' unusable, having too small a scope and becoming 'well shaft' only breeding small fish, being cleansed but unrecognized 'piercing my heart', and breaking the jar at the last step, losing all previous effort. Remember: a well should 'change the town but not the well' – stick to its duties, 'the well nourishes without exhaustion' – continuously dedicate, 'the well is cleansed' and 'the well is lined' – continuously improve, 'the well is clear and clean' – maintain purity, 'the well is closed, but not covered' – be open and shared, and most importantly, have a good beginning and end, never 'break the jar'. The Initial Six's 'well is muddy and cannot be drunk from. An old well, no animals come to it' warns that if abandoned, it will be discarded. The Nine in the third place's 'well is clear but cannot be drunk from. This pierces my heart' warns that unrecognized talent needs to wait for an 'enlightened king'. True value lies in: constant adherence, continuous dedication, continuous improvement, and a good beginning and end.
Applicable Scenarios
The The Well hexagram can provide guidance and inspiration when you encounter the following situations:
Related Hexagrams
Based on the connections between hexagrams, the following are also worth exploring:
Deepen Your Understanding
This interpretation provides a foundational understanding of the The Well hexagram. For a deeper comprehension, consider:
- • Reading commentaries from classical scholars and modern interpreters
- • Studying the hexagram's position within the overall sequence of the 64 hexagrams
- • Reflecting on how its wisdom applies to your current life situation
- • Exploring the changing lines and their resulting hexagrams in divination
Authoritative Resources
Want to explore the I Ching more deeply? These authoritative resources provide scholarly perspectives: