Wu Collection, Upper Volume
Radical: Jade (yù)
琉
Kangxi Stroke Count: 12
Page 733, Entry 08
Collected Rhymes (Jiyun) states: Pronounced liu (rising tone). It is the same as the character used for colored glaze (liu). The term colored glaze refers to a type of bead. In the Book of Odes (Shijing) it is written: Moving my couch made of colored glaze, moving it out to place it beneath the front window. It also refers to the name of a country. The Correction of Standard Characters (Zhengzitong) states: Within the nation there is Great Liuqiu and Small Liuqiu, located to the east of Quanzhou. The king's surname is Huansi. The place where he resides is filled with skulls. The people there tattoo their hands, shave their beards, wear fur garments, and sport feathered hats. They lack formal rites and standards of conduct. Within the country, there is the Shou'an Zhengguo Mountain. During the early years of the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty, the emperor personally composed an essay to bestow upon that nation.