Wei Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Boat (zhōu) Kangxi Strokes: 10 Page 1009, Entry 28 Pronounced fǎng. In the Shuowen Jiezi (Shuowen), it refers to a boat master. It cites the Book of Rites (Liji), specifically the section on Monthly Ordinances (Yueling), mentioning the boat master as one skilled in handling water. According to the Zhengzitong (Zhengzitong), the term boat master is used similarly to the term boatman. The word fang represents the vessel itself, much like the word zhou represents a boat; it does not necessarily imply that the vessel itself is a boat master. The definition provided in the Shuowen Jiezi (Shuowen) regarding it as a boat master is perhaps not entirely acceptable. Also, pronounced fāng. It refers to two boats joined together. According to the Erya (Erya), in the section on explaining words, fang is a boat. The commentary notes it refers to two boats. In the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Biography of Zhang Yi, it mentions boats joined together carrying soldiers, with one joined vessel carrying fifty people. The commentary notes that fang is pronounced fāng, meaning two boats. Also, the Yunhui (Yunhui) notes it may be written as the variant form (fāng). In the History of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Biography of Cen Peng, it mentions riding on a bamboo or wooden float to pass through the river pass. The commentary notes that this bamboo or wooden float, made of bamboo and wood and floating on the water, is exactly the same as a fang. In ancient times, these characters were used interchangeably. Furthermore, the Zhengzitong (Zhengzitong) notes that in ancient times, it was sometimes written as the character for square (fāng). In the Book of Odes (Shijing), Odes of Wei, it says to place them side by side or by boat. Common usage later added the boat radical to form the character fang. Also, pronounced bàng. The meaning is the same.