I Ching hexagram · 48 of 64
Hexagram 48: The Well 井 Jǐng · Resource, service, depth
An inexhaustible source. Maintain what nourishes everyone. The town may change, but the well does not. It neither decreases nor increases. People come and go and draw from the well. If the rope does not quite reach the water, or the jug breaks, that brings misfortune.
- Upper: ☵ Water
- Lower: ☴ Wind
- Nuclear: 38
- Opposite: 21
Number
48 of 64
Chinese name
井 Jǐng
Upper trigram
☵ Water
Lower trigram
☴ Wind
Nuclear hexagram
䷥ 38. Opposition
Opposite hexagram
䷔ 21. Biting Through
What hexagram 48 means
Hexagram 48 shows a wooden bucket drawing water up from deep below. It describes the well: the deep, unchanging source of nourishment that serves everyone who comes to it.
Human nature and its basic needs stay the same even as society changes. Go deep enough to reach the real source, keep the well in good repair, and share what you draw.
The Judgement · 卦辞
井：改邑不改井，无丧无得，往来井井。汔至亦未繘井，羸其瓶，凶。
The town may change, but the well does not. It neither decreases nor increases. People come and go and draw from the well. If the rope does not quite reach the water, or the jug breaks, that brings misfortune.
The Image · 象曰
木上有水，井；君子以劳民劝相。
Water over wood: the image of the well. The noble person encourages the people at their work and urges them to help one another.
The lines and trigrams
The Well places ☵ Water (坎 Kǎn), the trigram of danger and depth, above ☴ Wind (巽 Xùn), the trigram of gentle, penetrating influence. The lower trigram describes the inner situation and the upper trigram the outer world.
A hexagram is read from the bottom line up. Lines 1 to 3 form the lower trigram and lines 4 to 6 the upper trigram. Solid lines are yang and broken lines are yin; in the traditional names a yang line is called Nine (九) and a yin line Six (六).
Hexagram 48 in your life
Love and relationships
Go deeper than surface attraction. Shared values and emotional depth are the source that keeps love alive.
Personal growth
Return to your inner source. Self-cultivation and real knowledge nourish everything else.
The six changing lines
If you cast hexagram 48 and some lines come out as changing lines, read the text for those lines, then turn each one into its opposite to find the hexagram your situation is moving towards. See how to consult the I Ching.
Line 1 初六 · Six at the beginning
The well is muddy and no one drinks from it. Even the birds avoid an old well: renew yourself.
Line 2 九二 · Nine in the second place
The water only reaches the fish at the bottom, and the jug leaks. Talent wasted on small things.
Line 3 九三 · Nine in the third place
The well has been cleaned, but no one drinks. A pity: your ability is waiting to be recognised.
Line 4 六四 · Six in the fourth place
The well is being lined with stone. Working on yourself for now brings no blame.
Line 5 九五 · Nine in the fifth place
The well is clear, with a cold spring to drink from. Your gifts are ready to serve.
Line 6 上六 · Six at the top
The well is open and uncovered. Dependable and generous: supreme good fortune.
Hexagram 48 questions, answered
What does I Ching hexagram 48 mean?
Hexagram 48, The Well (井 Jǐng), is about resource, service, depth. An inexhaustible source. Maintain what nourishes everyone. Hexagram 48 shows a wooden bucket drawing water up from deep below. It describes the well: the deep, unchanging source of nourishment that serves everyone who comes to it.
What does hexagram 48 mean in love?
Go deeper than surface attraction. Shared values and emotional depth are the source that keeps love alive.
What does hexagram 48 mean for work and money?
Focus on fundamentals and service. Maintain systems, invest in people and make your work genuinely useful to others.
Which trigrams make up hexagram 48?
Hexagram 48 has Water (Kǎn) as its upper trigram and Wind (Xùn) as its lower trigram.
What are the related hexagrams of hexagram 48?
Its nuclear hexagram is 38, Opposition. Its opposite, with every line changed, is 21, Biting Through. Turned upside down it becomes 47, Oppression.
All 64 hexagrams
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