The Well
Water (坎 Kǎn) above, Wind (巽 Xùn) below
Published July 22, 2026 · By Oriens
I Ching Hexagram 48, 井 (Jǐng), represents The Well.
SourceZhouyi (周易, The Book of Changes) — hexagram 48 (井 Jǐng). Chinese source: Chinese Text Project, based on 《武英殿十三經注疏》本《周易正義》 (ctp:book-of-changes/jing). Judgment: received Zhouyi hexagram statement (卦辭). English: Translation by Oriens Editorial Translation. Image: Xiang / Image commentary layer (象傳), distinct from the Judgment and line texts. Image and line English: named translation by James Legge, The Yî King (1899), public-domain translation; online reproduction. The named translation is used for the Image and line statements only.
1. Judgment (卦辭 Guàcí)
井：改邑不改井，无喪无得，往來井井。汔至，亦未繘井，羸其瓶，凶。
Oriens Editorial Translation: The town may change, but the well does not. There is neither loss nor gain; people come and go to the well. Drawing from it nears completion but remains unfinished; the vessel fails [the action in 汔至，亦未繘井，羸其瓶 is disputed]—misfortune.
2. Image (象 Xiàng / Xiang commentary)
木上有水,井。君子以劳民劝相。
James Legge: (The trigram representing) wood and above it that for water form Zing. The superior man, in accordance with this, comforts the people, and. stimulates them to mutual helpfulness.
3. Line Statements (爻辭 Yáocí)
Line 1 of 6 (from the bottom):
初六：井泥不食，舊井无禽。
James Legge: The first SIX, divided, shows a well so muddy that men will not drink of it; or an old well to which neither birds (nor other creatures) resort.
Line 2 of 6 (from the bottom):
九二：井谷射鮒，瓮敝漏。
James Legge: The second NINE, undivided, shows a well from which by a hole the water escapes and flows away to the shrimps (and such small creatures among the grass), or one the water of which leaks away from a broken basket.
Line 3 of 6 (from the bottom):
九三：井渫不食，為我心惻，可用汲，王明，並受其福。
James Legge: The third NINE, undivided, shows a well, which has been cleared out, but is not used. Our hearts are sorry for this, for the water might be drawn out and used. If the king were (only) intelligent, both he and we might receive the benefit of it.
Line 4 of 6 (from the bottom):
六四：井甃，无咎。
James Legge: The fourth SIX, divided, shows a well, the lining of which is well laid. There will be no error.
Line 5 of 6 (from the bottom):
九五：井冽，寒泉食。
James Legge: The fifth NINE, undivided, shows a clear, limpid well, (the waters from) whose cold spring are (freely) drunk.
Line 6 of 6 (from the bottom):
上六：井收勿幕，有孚元吉。
James Legge: The topmost SIX, divided, shows (the water from) the well brought to the top, which is not allowed to be covered. This suggests the idea of sincerity. There will be great good fortune.
For the general method for changing lines and relating hexagrams, see How to Read the I Ching.
4. Modern Interpretation (Oriens commentary)
This is an Oriens interpretation, not part of the Zhouyi text.
The Well can prompt a careful question about dependable sources: what here gives the same nourishment to everyone who draws from it? The figure notes a well does not move and does not empty with use — read at the figure level, provision held in common.
It also warns about a broken or undrawn well: the source exists only if maintained and used.
The Chinese source and translation provenance are identified above. The Judgment is an Oriens Editorial Translation; the Image and line statements are labeled with James Legge. This keeps the modern reflection separate from both the received text and the named translation.
Continue with the Hexagram 48 card and the I Ching guide; these are reading paths, not additional predictions.