Chen Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Tree (mù). Kangxi stroke count: 9. Page 521, Entry 02. Ancient form is you (yǒu). Tang Rhymes (Tangyun), Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), Dictionary of Rhymes (Yunhui), Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun): Pronounced liu (rising tone). Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi): It is a type of small willow (yáng). It was originally written as liǔ, composed of the radical for tree and the phonetic element you (yǒu). Expanded Notes (Piya): It is soft, brittle, and grows easily, being of the same category as the willow (yáng). If planted upside down or horizontally, it will still grow. Also, it refers to Willow Valley (liǔ gǔ), the place where the sun sets. The Book of Documents (Shujing), Canon of Yao (Yaodian) states: To reside in the west is called the Dark Valley (meigu). Xu Guang says: It is Willow Valley. Song Qi Notes (Song Qi Biji): The ancient character for mao (mǎo) was originally the character for willow; later it was borrowed to represent the mao of the twelve earthly branches. The northern character was a distinct form; later it was borrowed to mean north, the direction. Yu Fan laughed at Zheng Xuan for not recognizing the ancient script, mistaking mao for mei, and defining north as to differentiate. Also, the name of a constellation. Erya, Explanation of Heaven (Shitian): The star known as the beak is called Willow. Also, a carriage. Fu Qian says: In the Dong Commandery, wide-tracked carriages are called willow. Li Qi says: Large ox-carts are called willow. Deng Zhan says: Funeral carriages are called willow. Also, Music Theory. Erya, Explanation of Music (Shiyue): The gong note is called chong, the shang note is called min, the jue note is called jing, the zhi note is called die, and the yu note is called liu. Also, the name of a marquisate. History of the Former Han (Qian Han Shu), Treatise on Geography: Belonged to Bohai Commandery. Also, a surname. Surname Genealogy (Xingpu): Descendants of the Lu official Zizhan, who received a fief at Liu and adopted it as their clan name. Note: Yang and Liu are two types of the same object. The Book of Odes (Shijing) discusses them separately, such as in the Qi Odes, where it mentions breaking willows to fence a garden, and the Chen Odes, which mentions the willows at the eastern gate. When mentioned collectively, as in the Lesser Odes (Xiaoya), it speaks of the willows swaying. The Materia Medica (Bencao) states: Willow branches are hard and grow upwards, hence they are called yang; willow branches are soft and hang down, hence they are called liu. The Corrected Character Comprehensive (Zhengzitong) claims they are two different things based on ancient poems regarding southern yang and northern liu, but this is incorrect.