Chen Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Tree (mù) Page 524, Entry 13 Luan is a variant form. Luan. Pronounced luan. According to the Shuo Wen Jie Zi (Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters), it is a tree that resembles the lan tree. It is a lan-lian tree planted on the graves of high officials. According to the sub-commentary of the Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), the grave of a high official is eight feet high and planted with medicinal herbs. The Guang Yun (Expanded Dictionary of Sounds) writes it as planting the luan tree. The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing) states that on Yunyu Mountain there is a tree named luan with a yellow trunk, red branches, and green leaves; various emperors have come here to gather medicine. The Tang Materia Medica (Tang Bencao) calls it luan-jing. Note: The stems and leaves of the luan-jing resemble those of the photinia. Also, according to the Supplementary Record of Materia Medica (Bencao Bielu), the luan flower has leaves like the hibiscus but thinner and finer, and its yellow flowers resemble those of the locust tree but are slightly longer and larger. Also, luan-luan, the appearance of being thin and weak. Book of Odes (Shijing), Gui Section: The anxious man is thin and weak. Also, the two corners of a bell mouth are called luan. According to the Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Winter Bureau, Records of Examination of Artificers (Kaogongji), when the fu-shi artisans make bells, the two luan are called xian. Commentary: The ancient bells that harmonized with the pitch pipes were not round; their shape resembled current handbells, so they had two corners. Also, Book of Rites (Liji), Bright Hall Position: The luan carriage is the carriage of the Yu lineage. Zheng Commentary: Luan is sometimes written as luan. Also, according to the Guang Ya (Expanded Glosses), a curved bracket is called luan. Zuo Si, Ode to the Capital of Wu (Wu Du Fu): The luan and lu brackets are stacked one upon another. Also, tan-luan, describing bamboo. Mei Cheng, Rabbit Garden Rhapsody (Tu Yuan Fu): Tall bamboo, tan-luan. Also, a surname. Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu): The descendants of Luan Shu served for generations as ministers of the Jin State.