Shen Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Grass (cǎo) Jian; Kangxi strokes: 16 Page 1050, Entry 10 Pronounced jian (level tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Graphs and Analysis of Characters): The plant known as guan that has not yet flowered. Book of Odes (Shijing), Qin Wind: The jian and jia reeds are grey and thick. Commentary: Jian is lian. Sub-commentary: It resembles the guan but is thinner and grows several feet tall. Lu Ji says: It is a water plant that is firm and solid; cattle eat it, which makes them fat and strong. People in the Qing and Xu regions call it jian. Textual Research: In the Book of Odes (Shijing), Qin Wind, the text states the jian and jia reeds are grey and thick. The sub-commentary states that people in the Qing and Xu regions call it lian. Following the original text, lian has been corrected to jian.