Wei Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Silk (mì) 练 Kangxi Stroke Count: 15 Page 932, Entry 04 Guangyun, Jiyun, Yunhui, Zhengyun: Pronounced lian (falling tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters): To boil silk fabrics until soft and white. Yupian (Jade Chapters): Refers to boiling and soaking. Shiming (Explanation of Names): Lian means to soften; it is boiled until the silk fabric becomes soft and tender. Jijiupian Zhu (Commentary on the Emergency Chapters): Lian means to boil fine silk until it is completely softened. Book of Rites (Zhouli), Section on the Officials of Heaven, The Dyers: Whenever dyeing, in the spring, first sun-dry and boil the silk fabrics. Commentary: Bo-lian means to boil raw silk and then dry it in the sun. Also refers to clothing worn during the Xiaoxiang (minor mourning) ritual. Book of Rites (Liji), Tan Gong Section: Sighing while wearing mourning clothes. There is also the lian robe, with a yellow lining and light red trim. Commentary: During the Xiaoxiang ritual, one wears a mourning cap and a mourning middle garment, hence it is called lian. The lian robe refers to a middle garment made of boiled silk. Also refers to training. Book of Rites (Liji), Monthly Ordinances (Yueling): The Son of Heaven commands his generals to select soldiers, sharpen weapons, and train outstanding individuals. Strategies of the Warring States (Zhanguo Ce): To practice repeatedly in order to polish one's skills. Also refers to selecting. Book of Han (Hanshu), Treatise on Rites and Music: To select an auspicious day and time. Also refers to experience or life history. Book of Han (Hanshu), Biography of Wei Xian: In the past, there was nothing that had not been experienced. Commentary: Lian signifies the meaning of experience. Also refers to a surname. Guangyun: He Shi Xing Yuan (Surname Dictionary of the He Family) states: This surname exists in the Nankang region. Also written as a variant form (lian). Book of Rites (Zhouli), Winter Officials, Artificers Record: Boil silk using ash water. Textual research: In the Book of Rites (Zhouli), Officials of Heaven, The Dyers: Whenever dyeing, in the spring, sun-dry and boil. Following the original text, changed from sun-dry boil to bo-lian.