Watch picture and learn character (26) Well - 井

 The evolution of the Character Well

 

From Left to Right: Shell Bone, Big Seal, Small Seal, Clerical Scripts

 

 

Four-sided Well

 

Pinyin of character Well: Jing3.

 

Explanation

 

Shell Bone Script: Represents the shape of a four-sided well. In ancient times, the well's mouth was likely framed with wooden guardrails, which is depicted in this character. Later, stone replaced wood, and the corners became right angles. Four-sided wells are now rare in China but can still be found, especially in the south. In my hometown of Zhijiang, Hunan, these wells were common during my childhood, although the well edges were lower than shown in the pictures. Few remain now. In the north, round wells with smaller openings at the top are more common. Four-sided wells might be scarce in the north due to deeper water levels and loose soil, making vertical four-sided wells more prone to collapse. In the south, where water levels are higher, wells are usually found within two to three meters, and the soil is more compact, making open four-sided wells feasible. These wells are wide enough for multiple people to draw water simultaneously. The four-sided wells in Zhijiang had wide stone surroundings and cement platforms, convenient for washing clothes and vegetables.

 

Big Seal Script: Similar to the Shell Bone Script but includes an extra dot in the middle. This dot serves as an indicator to clarify that it refers to the well itself and its water, not just the mouth. This likely corrected misunderstandings from the Shell Bone Script depiction.

 

Small Seal Script: Resembles the Big Seal Script. Both Big and Small Seal Scripts are indicative characters due to the middle dot. However, the Shell Bone Script, Clerical Script, and Song-style characters are not indicative. The reason why there are fewer indicative characters in Song-style is due to simplification, which removed the dot, transforming indicative characters into non-indicative ones. Understanding the evolution of Chinese characters provides a comprehensive grasp of their meanings, aiding in learning.

 

Clerical Script: Returns to the shape of the Shell Bone Script.

 

This translation explains the evolution of the Chinese character "井" across different historical scripts and provides context about its cultural and practical significance in ancient and modern China.