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Chapter 48 of 64
东坡易传
Wind over Water: The Well ䷯ (Xun below, Kan above)
The Well Hexagram 🌊: A town may be moved, but a well cannot be relocated; the well's water neither diminishes through depletion nor increases through overflow, and people coming and going all draw water at the well's edge. However, if one approaches the well but has not yet lowered the rope to draw water, and overturns the water pitcher, this is inauspicious.
The Commentary on the Judgment explains: A wooden bucket enters the water and brings the water up—this is the image of "the Well." The well nourishes all things without ever being exhausted. "The town may be changed, but the well cannot be changed" is because the firm yet central line positions symbolize the nature of constancy and immutability; "approaching but still not having lowered the rope into the well" speaks of not yet completing the work of drawing water; "overturning the pitcher" is therefore inauspicious.
Those who come to draw water are the "going"; those who do not come to draw water are the "coming." Whether one drinks or not depends on the person. But becoming a well depends on the well itself. What depends on others is twofold (coming and going); what depends on oneself is singular (whether one maintains the well's clean essence). Hence it is said, "Those coming and going draw from the well." "Qi" means thirst. Arriving at the well but not yet touching the water's surface is called "qi." Having obtained water and overturning the pitcher just as it emerges is called "not yet having lowered the rope into the well." The well itself has nothing to do with gain or loss—whether "lowering the rope" achieves merit or "overturning the pitcher" brings misfortune lies entirely with the person drawing the water.
The Commentary on the Images says: Wood above water—this is the image of the Well; the gentleman, perceiving this, understands that he should comfort the people and encourage mutual assistance.
People have never sealed or blocked off a well; therefore the gentleman extends this principle to "comfort the people and encourage mutual aid."
Initial Six: The silt at the bottom of the well is not drunk; an abandoned old well is not even visited by birds.
The Commentary on the Images says: "The well's mud is not drunk" is because it is at the very bottom; "the old well has no birds" is because it has been abandoned by the times.
The Book of Changes judges good and evil based on one's environment, but this is not absolutely inevitable; only in the case of the well is judgment necessarily so. A well has never been clear when in a clean place and turbid when in a filthy place. Therefore, according to its environment, good and evil can be determined. Confucius said: "The gentleman abhors dwelling in a lowly place, because all the ugliness of the world gathers there." Initial Six is precisely the gathering place of ugliness. What the gentleman receives from Heaven by nature is not much to begin with; if it is carefully nurtured, it renews itself daily, and if not nurtured, it decays daily—choosing one's environment is precisely the way to nurture it. The Commentary on the Judgment says, "The well nourishes without end." What other method is there for nurturing the well? Place it in a proper location and it becomes clean; when clean, people drink from it; when people drink from it, it renews itself daily; renewing itself daily, it is therefore never exhausted. "Well mud" is the gradual beginning of "no birds"; when "muddy," it is "not drunk," and it becomes abandoned. An "old well" is an abandoned well; at first no one seeks it out, and in the end even birds do not come. When no one seeks it out, it can still be managed; but when even birds do not come, it cannot be managed. The fundamental essence of being a well has already perished, so the times abandon it entirely.
Nine in the Second: At the bottom of the well there is a channel through which one shoots small fish, but the water jar for drawing is broken and leaking.
The Commentary on the Images says: "Shooting small fish in the well's channel" is because there is no one corresponding to it above.
Nine in the Second occupies a position that is not correct, and therefore has no support above; it can only attach itself downward. Attaching downward is the path of a valley; having lost the proper way of a well and become a valley, it is called "the well's valley." What Nine in the Second attaches to is Initial Six; Initial Six is called "the small fish." When there are fish in the well, people detest it; yet it can still gain its ends in the jar—why is this? If the other had a good vessel, how would it be willing to let me defile it? This must be a broken, leaking jar—were it not such a jar, it would not come to draw from this well.
Nine in the Third: The well's water is clean but no one drinks it, causing me inner distress; this well's water can be drawn, and if the ruler is wise, all can share in its blessing.
The Commentary on the Images says: "The well's water is cleaned but not drunk" is what makes passersby feel distressed; "seeking the ruler's wisdom" is the hope of sharing in the blessing.
"Xie" means clean. Nine in the Third, a yang line in a proper position, is the image of clean well water. The well's water is clean but not drunk—why? Because it is not in the central position. Not being in the central position means it is not at the center where the community gathers, hence "not drunk." The well has never grieved over not being drunk; all those who feel distress for it are merely passersby, hence it is said "passersby feel distressed." "Passersby feel distressed" means that it is others who grieve for it, not that it grieves for itself. Such a well is by no means something that a broken, leaking jar could match, so it must choose the vessel used to draw from it. It says: Who is worthy to draw from it? Would it not be one whose vessel is clean? A clean vessel is the image of an enlightened ruler; when the vessel is clean and the ruler is enlightened, then those who receive the blessing are not limited to oneself alone.
Six in the Fourth: Lining the well wall with brick and stone; no blame.
The Commentary on the Images says: "Lining the well wall brings no blame"—this is the repairing of the well.
"To repair" means to make it clean. Yang is motion and fullness; yin is stillness and emptiness. The spring is that which makes the well a well—it is moving and full; the wall is that upon which the spring relies—it is still and empty. Therefore the three yang lines represent the spring, and the three yin lines represent the well's body. Initial Six, being at the very bottom, is called "mud"; Top Nine, being at the very top, is called "harvest"; Six in the Fourth, dwelling in the middle without losing its proper position, is called "lining." For the well, the lining is what resists defilement and keeps the well's water clean. The well depends on it for cleanliness, hence "no blame."
Nine in the Fifth: The well's water is clear and cold, sweet like cold spring water, and can be drunk.
The Commentary on the Images says: The "cold spring" being "drunk" is because it is both central and correct.
The "correctness" of Nine in the Fifth is the same as that of Nine in the Third; what enables it to be drunk by people lies in its occupying the "central" position.
Top Nine: The well's water is harvested from above; do not cover it. Hold sincerity in the heart—great good fortune.
The Commentary on the Images says: "Supreme good fortune" at the topmost position is the greatest accomplishment.
"Harvest" is the portion above the well wall, and also the terminus of the well. "Harvest" itself is not the essence of the well, yet the authority to use the well is held by "harvest." If it covered over, then even though there be a cold spring below, it cannot reach upward, and even though there be people drawing above, they cannot obtain anything. Therefore "do not cover"—only by not covering can there be "sincerity and supreme good fortune."