The statistical genesis of the process of liquid penetration through fibrous media can be regarded as the interaction and the resulting balance among media and liquid cells that comprise the ensemble. A stochastic method, Ising's model, combined with Monte Carlo simulation, can therefore be employed in the study of liquid penetration through fibrous media. This process is driven by the difference of energy of the system after and before a liquid moves from one, cell to the other. The energy of the system comprises the internal energy, work done by external force to the system, and the mechanical energy. For experimental verification, the process of water penetration through isotropic fiber mats, both spontaneously and under pressure, is examined. Simulation results are in good agreement with the experiments, indicating a good prospect of the method to be applied in this area. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.