You Collection, Upper Volume
Radical: Horn (jiǎo)
Kangxi Strokes: 16
Page 1144, Entry 08
Pronounced bì.
Explaining the characters in the Tang Rhyme (Tangyun), Collection Rhymes (Jiyun), Rhyme Compilation (Yunhui), and Orthodox Rhymes (Zhengyun), all indicate the pronunciation is the same as bì.
The Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi) defines it as a horn-made musical instrument played by the Qiang people called tubi, used to startle horses.
Xu Xuan states: The current bili, when played, produces this sound. It is commonly written in a variant form (bìlì). There is also the term bifa, which describes the coldness of the wind. Book of Odes (Shijing), Odes of Bin (Binfeng): "On the first day of the month, the wind is bifa." In the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it is written as bifa.
There is also the term bifei, which describes the appearance of a spring bubbling up. Book of Odes (Shijing), Minor Odes of the Kingdom (Xiaoya): "The spring water flows bifei."
The Jade Chapters (Yupian) notes that it is sometimes written as bi.
Additionally, the Broad Rhyme (Guangyun) and Collection Rhymes (Jiyun) provide the pronunciation as wù. This also refers to a horn played by the Qiang people. The Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi) was originally written as bi.
The Six Writings Corrected (Liushu Zheng’e) explains: Wind instruments all belong to the horn category, so it uses the horn radical. The right side is the ancient character for stubborn (bèi), representing the sound. However, now only the character bi is known. In the entry for the character fa in the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it states "on the first day of the month, the wind is fa."
Verification: Book of Odes (Shijing), Odes of Bin (Binfeng): "On the first day of the month, the wind is bifa." In the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it is written as bifa. It is noted that the original text should be amended from bifa to bifa.