Shen Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Grass (cǎo) Lian Kangxi Stroke Count: 23 Page 1069, Entry 12 Pronounced lian. A creeping grass. From Book of Odes (Shijing), Tang Dynasty Airs: The kudzu grows covering the thorny shrubs, and the lian vines spread over the wilds. The commentary states: The lian plant resembles the trichosanthes, with lush, slender leaves. Also pronounced lian. From Explaining Simple and Compounding Characters (Shuowen Jiezi): This is the same as the xian character. Bailian is the name of a medicinal herb. Also known as wulianmei. From Materia Medica (Bencao): The leaves grow in groups of five and resemble those of the bailian. Also pronounced lian. From Compilation of Rhymes (Jiyun): The meaning is the same. Also pronounced xian. See the entry for the xian character for details. Sometimes written in a variant form. The character lian is written with the component for grass on top.