Chen Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Tree (mù) Kangxi Strokes: 12 Page 532, Entry 10 Pronounced bang (rising tone). Shuowen Jiezi explains this as a short wooden stick. The Leipian states it is the same as this character and is also written in the variant form bang. Guangyun explains it as meaning a cudgel, staff, or to strike. The Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chronicle of Emperor Wu (Sanguozhi) records that when Cao Cao served as the Northern District Commander, he fashioned five-colored staffs and hung them to the left and right of the government office gates, with more than ten of each. The Book of Wei (Weishu), Biography of Erzhu Rong, records that during close-quarters combat between men and horses, swords were not as effective as staves. Additionally, the Zhengyun notes it is pronounced bang (falling tone), with the same meaning.