Zi Collection, Page Position: Upper Radical: Dot (zhǔ) Character: Dan Kangxi stroke count: 4 Page 80, number 16 Ancient script. According to the Tang Rhymes (Tangyun), Jiyun, Yunhui, and Zhengyun, the pronunciation is dān. It refers to red cinnabar. Whetstones, grindstones, arrowheads, and cinnabar — Classic of History (Shujing). Cinnabar is primarily red, though black and white substances are also categorized as types of cinnabar — Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing). Tao Hongjing said: It is indeed vermilion. Daoists refer to the smelting of metals and minerals as external alchemy (waidan), and the practice of breathing exercises to expel the old and take in the new as internal alchemy (neidan). The nine-times cycled eight-gem elixir — Yellow Court Classic (Huangtingjing). Note: The eight materials are cinnabar, realgar, azurite, sulfur, mica, desert salt, niter, and orpiment. Also, when harmonious energies resonate, black cinnabar emerges from the mountains. The benevolent ruler enjoys longevity and prosperity, the people's lives are extended, and the world is at peace — Records of Diverse Matters (Bowuzhi). Coating objects with vermilion is also called dan. The wheel hubs were painted vermilion — Yang Xiong's Dissolving Ridicule (Jiechao). A beautiful appearance is described as moistened cinnabar (wodan). A face like moistened cinnabar — Book of Odes (Shijing). A sincere and honest heart is called dan. Since I hold a heart of cinnabar and stone, how could I shed tears over white silk? — Poem by Xie Tiao. There is also the surname Dan. In the Han dynasty there was Dan Yu, in the Song dynasty Dan Shan, and in the Ming dynasty Dan Zhong. Danyang is the name of a commandery. Emperor Wu of Han renamed Zhang Commandery to Danyang Commandery. Emperor Wu of Jin divided it into Xuancheng and Piling commanderies. Danzhou is the name of a prefecture. Originally the land of the Red Di people, the Northern Wei established Fenzhou there, which was later changed to Danzhou. Danjiao refers to the southern borderlands; because the soil is red, it is called Danjiao, representing the furthest reaches of the south — Notes on Things Ancient and Modern (Gujin Zhu) by Cui Bao. Dandan is the name of a country, mentioned in the History of the Southern Dynasties (Nanshi). The phoenix is born in Danxue — Classic of Mountains and Seas. Qiedan is the name of a bird, one of the nine phoenixes. Mudan (peony) is the name of a flower. Also known as shugu (rat's aunt) — Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao). Mudan is an alias for the gardenia flower. Zidan is an alias for the gromwell plant (zicao). Also read as dian in rhyming contexts. The southern cliffs are filled with silk curtains, the northern banks are crowded with carriages. The clear river holds the reflection of aquatic plants, and the high banks are covered in magnificent cinnabar — Song of Luofu (Luofuge) by Lu Ji. Danba refers to the red stones of the Yue region — Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen). The character's outer form resembles a cinnabar well, and the inner part resembles the shape of cinnabar. Characters such as qing (cyan), tong (red), and huo (vermilion) are all derived from the character dan.