Yin Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Shield (gān) Page 84, Entry 03 Pronounced gān. As defined in the Shuowen Jiezi (Shuowen): to offend. As in the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Zuo Zhuan): How dare one offend against grand rituals and bring punishment upon oneself. As in the History of the Jin Dynasty (Jin Shu): Unexpectedly offending one another, one can be reconciled by reason. Also: to seek. As in the Book of Documents (Shujing): Do not violate the Way in order to seek the praise of the people. As in the Analects of Confucius (Lunyu): Zizhang studied to seek an official salary. Also: a shield. As in the Fangyan: Shield (dun), from the pass to the east, is sometimes called shield-branch, or sometimes shield (gan); west of the pass, it is called a shield. As in the Book of Documents (Shujing): Dancing with shields and feathers on the two steps. As in the Book of Odes (Shijing): Shields and spears, axes and halberds. Also: Sigan, a title of an official. As in the Rites of Zhou (Zhouli): The Sigan is in charge of dance instruments. Also: to defend. As in the Book of Odes (Shijing): Feudal lords are the shields and walls. Also: a mountain stream. As in the Book of Odes (Shijing): Flowing is this stream. Also: a riverbank. As in the Classic of Changes (Yijing): The wild swan gradually advances to the riverbank. As in the Book of Odes (Shijing): Place it on the bank of the river. Also: the outskirts of a state. As in the Book of Odes (Shijing): Departing to sleep on the outskirts. Also: an uncertain quantity, meaning how many. As in the Book of Rites (Liji): When asked the age of the Son of Heaven, the reply was: I heard when he first wore robes he was several feet tall. As in the Book of Han (Hanshu): Or using light coins, each adding a certain amount. Also: from jia to gui are the Heavenly Stems (tiangan). As in the Huangji Jingshi: The ten stems represent Heaven; the twelve branches represent Earth. Also: langan, the appearance of being horizontal or slanted. As in the Gulaofu: The moon sets, the stars cross, and the Big Dipper is slanted. Also: a railing (often written as langan). As in the poems of Li Bai: Leaning on the railing north of the Chenxiang Pavilion. Also: the eye socket. Also: the appearance of tears flowing. Also: a plant, a type of ramie. As in the History of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu): Fine ramie cloth, woven with patterns like damask or silk. Also: Ganjiang, the name of a sword. As in the Wu Yue Chunqiu: Ganjiang was a man of Wu. Also: Ganzhe, the name of a musical piece. As in the Zixu Fu: The Ganzhe of Huainan. Also: shegan, the name of a tree. As in the Xunzi: In the west there is a tree called shegan. Also: a grass name. As in the Bencao Tujing: The shegan has white flowers and long stems, resembling an archer holding a bow. Also: the name of a beast. As in the Zixu Fu: Leaping far, the shegan. (Note: The shegan resembles a fox and can climb trees.) Also: yegan, also the name of a beast. As in the Lotus Sutra (Fahuajing): The yegan, with a thin body and no eyes, is plucked and thrown by children, suffering various pains. Also: Fagan, Langan, Yugan, names of counties. As in the History of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu): Dong Commandery had Fagan County; Hanyang Commandery had Langan County. Also: Changgan, a place name. As in the Wu Du Fu: Changgan extends continuously. Also: a surname. As in the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Zuo Zhuan): In Song, there was Gan Chou. Also: Duangan and Ganji, compound surnames. As in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji): Laozi's son was named Zong; he served as a general for Wei and was enfeoffed in Duangan. Pronounced gàn. To defend. (As read by Shen Zhong). Pronounced hán. A state name. As in the Huainanzi: Jing had a warrior named Cifei who obtained a precious sword in the state of Gan. Also: commonly used as a variant for jian (to deceive/illicit). As in the Book of Han (Hanshu): Frequently illicit of the death penalty. Also: commonly used as a variant for gan (to interfere). As in the History of the Tang Dynasty (Tang Shu): Do not interfere in current affairs. Also: commonly used as a variant for gan (a pole). As in the History of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu): Riding a carriage with green covers; people of the time called it a pole-rubbing carriage. Also: interchangeable with gan (a rock). Also: interchangeable with yan (a target). Also: in ancient times, interchangeable with gan (dry). As in the Chuyue Tie: Pale and suffocated, dry retching. Yang Shen stated: Tan is the old word for thin liquid; gan is the old word for dry/wet. Writing it as tan (phlegm) and gan (dry) today is incorrect. Also: rhymes with jian (pronounced jiān). As in the Huangting Jing: Returning purple and embracing yellow, entering the cinnabar field; rinsing and swallowing the spiritual fluid, the disaster does not dry up.