Chou Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Enclosure (wéi) Guo Kangxi stroke count: 9 Page 218, Entry 11 Jade Compendium (Yupian): This is an ancient form of the character for state. A detailed explanation can be found in the eight-stroke section. This character was created by Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty. Correct Meaning (Zhengzitong): During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang dynasty, some suggested that because the character for state contained the character for doubt, it should be replaced with the character for martial to suppress it. Others argued that placing the character for martial inside a frame made it indistinguishable from the character for besieged. Thus, it was changed to this form to represent the lands of the eight directions.