Chen Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Tree (mù) Entry: Luan Kangxi strokes: 23 Page 524, Entry 01 Pronounced luan. Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Simple and Compound Characters): A tree resembling the lan tree. It is the type of tree planted on the graves of high officials (dafu). Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Commentary on the Tomb Official: The graves of high officials were eight feet high, and medicinal herbs were planted upon them. Guangyun (Expanded Rhymes): Sometimes written as "planted with luan." Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing): On Yunyu Mountain, there is a tree called the luan tree; its trunk is yellow, its branches are red, and its leaves are green. Various emperors have traveled here to gather medicinal herbs. Tang Pharmacopoeia (Tang Bencao): Refers to it as luanjing. Annotation: The stems and leaves of luanjing resemble photinia. Bencao Bielu (Records of Materia Medica): Regarding luan flowers, the leaves resemble those of the rose of sharon (mùjǐn) but are thinner and finer; the flowers are yellow and resemble those of the pagoda tree (huáichū) but are slightly longer and larger. Also, luan luan describes the appearance of being thin and weak. Book of Odes (Shijing), Odes of Gui: The sorrowful man is thin and weak. Also, the two corners of a bell mouth are called luan. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Winter Official, Artificer's Record (Kaogongji): When the bell maker casts a bell, the two corners are called xian. Commentary: In ancient times, bells designed to match the musical pitches were not round; they were shaped like modern handbells, hence they had two corners. Book of Rites (Liji), Hall of Distinction (Mingtangwei): The luan carriage was the carriage of the Yu dynasty. Zheng Xuan Annotation: Sometimes written as luan. Guangya (Broad Refinement): A curved bracket set (dougong) is called luan. Zuo Si, Ode on the Capital of Wu (Wudu Fu): The luan and lu brackets are layered and stacked. Also, tan luan describes the beautiful, elegant appearance of bamboo. Mei Cheng, Rabbit Garden Rhapsody (Tuyuan Fu): The tall bamboo is elegant and beautiful. Also, a surname. Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu): The descendants of Luan Shu, who served as ministers in the State of Jin for generations. Mei Cheng, Rabbit Garden Rhapsody (Tuyuan Fu). Verification: The annotation regarding ancient bells not being round has been corrected to align with the commentary in the Artificer's Record, changing the reference from bells to musical pitch bells.