Shen Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Grass (cǎo) Xia Kangxi Stroke Count: 10 Page 1018, Entry 01 Pronounced hu (falling tone) Shuowen Jiezi (Dictionary of Characters): Rehmannia. Erya (Approaching Elegance): Explanations of Plants: Xia is rehmannia. Annotation: Another name for Xia is earth marrow. Rhyme Compendium (Yunhui): Citing the Wings of the Erya (Erya Yi), it states: when rehmannia grows, test it with water; those that float are called sky yellow, those half-floating are called human yellow, and those that sink are called earth yellow. The character for Xia is derived from the word for below, implying it also tends to descend. Also, Book of Rites (Liji), Record on Education (Xianzhuan): Clipping Xia to be used as mats. Commentary: Xia refers to cattail or duckweed used for mats; the tips are clipped and folded inward rather than woven or tucked. Also pronounced jia (falling tone). The meaning is the same. Collected Rhymes (Jiyun): Also written in a variant form (lu).