Shen Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Grass (cǎo) Gan; Kangxi stroke count: 11; Page 1025, Entry 07 According to the Compilation of Rhymes (Jiyun) and the Rhyme Dictionary (Yunhui), the pronunciation is gu. Pronounced gan. As stated in the Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters (Shuowen), it is licorice. According to the Materia Medica (Bencao), it is also known as lingtong and guolao. This herb is the most important among all medicines, and there are few medical prescriptions that do not use it; it is like agarwood among incense. It treats seventy-two types of mineral poisoning and neutralizes one thousand two hundred types of herbal poisoning; it is effective in harmonizing fruits and medicines, which is why it earned the title of guolao. As written in the poem by Wang Shipeng, it is better to plant licorice in a quiet courtyard. According to the Correct Character Encyclopedia (Zhengzitong), the plant has a sweet taste, which is why it is called licorice (gancao). The common practice is to add the grass radical, just as it is added to tongcao to write tongcao, or to niuxi to write niuxi.