Wu Collection, Lower Volume
Radical: Grain (hé)
Entry: lu
Kangxi strokes: 20
Page 853, Entry 01
Pronounced lu (rising tone). Rice that grows spontaneously. Also, identical to the character lu (rising tone) as recorded in the Collection of Rhymes (Jiyun).
In the History of Tang (Tangshu), Biography of Ma Sui, it is recorded that in Huaizhou, spontaneous rice grew within the territory. It is also used interchangeably with the character lu (rising tone). In the History of the Later Han (Houhanshu), Annals of Emperor Guangwu, it is written that fine grains grew spontaneously. The commentary notes that this implies parasitic growth, referring to plants that grow without being sown.
In the History of the Former Han (Qianhanshu), Treatise on Astronomy, it mentions the constellation Shen governs the growth of wild sprouts. The commentary explains that in the Guanzhong region, new sprouts growing from the side branches of mulberry and elm trees are called bao, while wild sprouts are called lu (rising tone).