Hexagram 48 of 64
The Well
jing · 井
TL;DR
- ◈Hexagram 48, The Well, is summarized by the Judgment: The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases.
- ◈Its structure is Water above Wind; read the trigram interaction before treating it as a simple label.
- ◈Core keywords: depth, source, nourishment, community.
By the Numbers
- #48
- King Wen Order
- The Well in the 64-hexagram sequence.
- 2
- Trigrams
- Water above Wind.
- 6
- Lines
- Each hexagram is read from bottom to top.
Classical Context
Hexagram 48, Jǐng (井), is the hexagram of The Well — the essential, permanent source of nourishment that sustains all life in a community. Composed of Kǎn (☵ Water) above and Xùn (☴ Wind/Wood) below: water drawn up by a wooden bucket from the well. The well cannot be changed or moved — it is the fixed foundation of communal life.
This expanded note is adapted from the long-form hexagram draft as cultural and textual context; a live reading still depends on the question, changing lines, and the full transformation pattern.
Six-Line Theme Map
I Ching lines are read from the bottom upward. This map runs from the initial line to the top line so the Judgment, Image, and moving-line position can be read together.
- L1
初六 · 井泥不食
Muddy well — not drinkable
- L2
九二 · 井谷射鲋
Shooting fish in the well valley — leaking
- L3
九三 · 井渫不食
Well cleaned but not used — sorrow
- L4
六四 · 井甃无咎
Well lined with砖 — no blame
- L5
九五 · 井冽寒泉
Well clear and cold spring
- L6
上六 · 井收勿幕
Well is complete — don't cover it
Deep Reading
The well as shared infrastructure
Jǐng says cities may change while the well remains. The image points to resources that outlast individual plans: knowledge, trust, water, teaching, maintenance, and the systems that keep a community alive.
A good source still needs access
Several lines show wells that are muddy, leaking, cleaned but unused, or finally open. The issue is not only whether nourishment exists, but whether it is maintained, reachable, and shared without being wasted.
Reading Jǐng in a live question
- Systems and operations
- Repair the shared source before chasing novelty. Maintenance may be the strategic move.
- Community support
- Make resources accessible and reliable. A covered well serves no one.
- Personal nourishment
- Return to basic sustainable habits and sources of learning; avoid treating one reading as health advice.
Source Notes
- Primary text
- The reading follows the Zhouyi Judgment, Image, and line statements for Jǐng, especially the fixed well and access imagery.
- Zhouyi: Jǐng Judgment, Image, and line statements
- Method boundary
- The Well is read as a symbolic model for shared resources and maintenance, not as medical, environmental, or public-policy advice.
- CosmicTao editorial method note
Interpretation
Yes. Draw from deep wisdom — the source is reliable.
Upper Trigram
Water
Lower Trigram
Wind
The Judgment (King Wen)
The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases.
The Image
Water over wood: the image of the Well.
Keywords
FAQ
What is Hexagram 48 (The Well)?
The Well. The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed. It neither decreases nor increases.
What is the geometric structure of Hexagram 48?
Hexagram 48 acts with the upper trigram Water and the lower trigram Wind.
What are the core themes of The Well?
The core themes and meanings include: depth, source, nourishment, community.