Hexagram 48, Line 1

The Line Text

Interpretation

**COMMENTARY_TEXT_EN:** "The mud in the well is not for drinking," because it is at the bottom. "An old well attracts no animals," because it has been abandoned by the times.

Guidance for Action

**INTERPRETATION:** This first line, at the very bottom of the hexagram, represents the most basic and foundational state of the well. The image is one of neglect and decay. The water at the bottom has become mixed with silt and mud, rendering it undrinkable and useless. The well, as a source of life and community, has fallen into such disuse that even animals no longer come to it. This signifies a situation where a resource, a talent, or a person's potential has become stagnant, contaminated, or simply ignored. The core value is still there—the well still exists—but it is currently unusable. It is a state of being overlooked and forgotten, not due to malice, but due to its own lack of utility. The potential for nourishment is present but buried under the "mud" of neglect, old habits, or obsolete approaches.

For Love & Relationships

**GUIDANCE:** This line is a clear signal that you are at a starting point of decay or dealing with a resource that has been long neglected. It is not a time for action or for offering your services to others. To do so would be like offering someone a cup of muddy water; it would be useless and damage your reputation. Your primary task is to recognize the state of neglect. Do not seek attention, promotion, or new ventures. Instead, turn your focus inward or downward to the very foundation. This is a time for cleanup, for dredging the mud, for self-improvement, and for getting back to basics. You must first restore your own inner wellspring or the foundational aspects of your project before it can be of any value to yourself or anyone else. Acknowledge what has become stagnant and begin the quiet, unseen work of purification.

For Career & Business

**LOVE:** In the context of love and relationships, this line points to a connection that has become stagnant and unfulfilling. The "mud" represents old resentments, unresolved conflicts, and a lack of fresh emotional energy. The relationship may exist in name, but it no longer provides nourishment or joy. For those who are single, this line suggests that your own emotional state is not ready for a healthy relationship. You may be carrying baggage from the past or have neglected your own emotional well-being, making you unattractive to potential partners ("no animals are attracted"). The guidance is clear: do not try to force a dead relationship back to life or seek a new one at this time. Focus on emotional and spiritual cleanup. Address your own inner "mud" before you can offer clear, life-giving water to another.

For Financial Matters

**CAREER:** In a career or business context, this line indicates that your skills have become outdated, your position has become irrelevant, or a project you are involved with has been abandoned. You are being overlooked because what you currently offer is not seen as valuable or useful. Like the muddy well, your contribution is not "potable." This could manifest as being passed over for promotions, finding your business has no new customers, or feeling that your work has no impact. The advice is not to seek a new job or launch a major initiative immediately. Instead, focus on professional development. Update your skills, clear out old and inefficient processes, and re-evaluate your foundational value proposition. Make yourself relevant again through quiet, diligent work before seeking external opportunities.