Si Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Fire (huǒ) Page 676, Entry 04 According to Tang Rhyme (Tangyun) and Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is pronounced lian (falling tone). The pronunciation is the same as the word for practice (lian). According to Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen), it means to melt and purify metal. In Balanced Discourses (Lunheng) by Wang Chong, it is stated that Nüwa melted and refined stones of five colors to mend the blue sky. According to Jade Compendium (Yupian), it is now also written in a variant form (lian). Also, according to Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is pronounced lan (falling tone). The pronunciation is the same as the word for rotten (lan). It was originally written as (lan). It is sometimes written as (lan) or (lan). See the detailed notes under the entry for the character (lan).