Mencius said, “For one who undertakes any endeavor, it is like digging a well. If one digs to a depth of nine ren but fails to reach the spring, it is still considered an abandoned well.”
Note
This passage from the Jin Xin I chapter of the Mencius is a vivid metaphor regarding one’s “attitude towards work” and the importance of “perseverance to the end.” Drawing on traditional commentaries and historical context, we can understand its underlying thought through the following dimensions:
- A Warning Against Falling Short at the Last Hurdle: The Dialectical Relationship Between Process and Result
Mencius uses the highly visual example of “digging a well to nine ren” to point out a harsh reality: in the pursuit of a final goal, if the ultimate qualitative leap (reaching the spring) is not achieved, all the preceding quantitative accumulation (the depth of nine ren) will lose its meaning (it remains an abandoned well). During the Warring States period, many scholars, when promoting benevolent governance or pursuing scholarship, would give up halfway due to temporary setbacks or a lack of immediate results. Mencius uses this to sternly warn people that one cannot rely solely on fleeting enthusiasm; if one does not persist until the very end, all previous efforts will be in vain. - Goal-Oriented Perseverance: The Symbolic Meaning of the “Spring”
In this metaphor, the “spring” represents the essence of a matter, the truth, or ultimate success. Mencius emphasizes that actions must be goal-oriented. The purpose of digging a well is to obtain water, not merely to create a pit. If one deviates from the goal or gives up when close to achieving it, the effort becomes futile. This inspires us that whether it is self-cultivation, managing a family, or governing a state, one must remain steadfast and refuse to give up until the goal is achieved. - Profound Critique of “Giving Up Halfway”
Mencius’ words here resonate perfectly with Confucius’ statement in the Analects: “For example, in building a mountain, if I stop when only one basketful of earth is lacking, it is I who stop.” Both profoundly critique the impetuous tendency to lack perseverance. Mencius points out that a true “person of action” must possess not only the courage to begin but also the endurance to endure the long, tedious process. Only by possessing this tenacious spirit of “digging until the spring is reached” can one ultimately achieve great things.
孟子曰：“有为者辟若掘井，掘井九轫而不及泉，犹为弃井也。”
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