Hexagram 2: The Receptive → Hexagram 48: The Well

The Receptive
Earth / Earth
The Well
Water / Wind
Changing LinesStable Lines

Changing Lines

This transformation involves 3 changing lines (lines 2, 3, 5).

Line 2

六二 直方大。不習无不利。

zhístraightforward
fāngsquare
complete
without
practice
without
doubt
worthwhile

Six in the second place means: Straight, square, great. Without purpose, Yet nothing remains unfurthered.

Line 3

六三 含章可貞。或從王事。无成有終。

hánrestrain
zhāngdisplay
suited
zhēnpersistence
huòsomeone
cóngpursuing
wángsovereign
shìaffairs
no
chéngachievement
yǒuhas
zhōngclosure

Six in the third place means: Hidden lines. One is able to remain persevering. If by chance you are in the service of a king, Seek not works, but bring to completion.

Line 5

六五 黃裳。元吉。

huánggolden
chángdress
yuánmost
promising

Six in the fifth place means: A yellow lower garment brings supreme good fortune.

Trigram Changes

Upper TrigramEarth WaterThe Receptive → The Deep
Lower TrigramEarth WindThe Receptive → The Gentle

Yilin Verse

三女求夫,伺候山隅。不見復關,泣涕漣如。

Three women seek husbands, waiting and watching at the mountain’s bend. They do not see the returning carriage; tears flow in streaming drops.

— Jiao Yanshou, Yilin (Forest of Changes), 1st century BCE

Commentary

Earth upon earth transforms into water above wind — the Well. Three women seek husbands, waiting by the mountain's edge. They do not see the watchtower's wall, and weep until their tears stream. This directly quotes the Shijing ode 'Mang' from the Wei feng: 'I climbed the ruined wall to gaze toward Fuguan... not seeing Fuguan, my tears flowed in streams.' The poem tells of a woman awaiting her lover who never appears. Water above wind, the image of Jing, depicts the well — a fixed structure that nourishes all who approach but cannot move to them. From the Receptive to the Well, the earth's open field becomes the fixed, patient source: the well does not go to the thirsty. The women's vigil mirrors the well's nature — they wait, they weep, but they cannot make the absent one appear.

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