The concept of down and below is clarified in relation to a
horizontal line. The stroke below the fundamental line was originally a dot
:
which was extended to a line :
for ease in writing. The modified forms :
andeventually
led to the final ideograph:.
The characters below, although literally under water, are figuratively above
water.
which was extended to a line :
for ease in writing. The modified forms :
and
eventually
led to the final ideograph:.
The characters below, although literally under water, are figuratively above
water. 
