Hai Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Bird (niǎo) Lei Kangxi strokes: 26 Page 1504, Entry 12 Pronounced lei (falling tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Shuōwén Jiězì): The lei is a bird with the shape of a rat that both flies and walks, and gives birth to its young. It is also known as the lei rat, the flying creature, or the flying squirrel. Tao Hongjing (Táo Hóngjǐng) says: It flies like a bat, is as large as an owl or a goose, has purple fur, and moves about in the dark of night. Li Shizhen (Lǐ Shízhēn) says: This creature has fleshy wings connected to its tail. It cannot fly upward well and is prone to falling or crashing, which is why it is called lei. Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shānhǎi Jīng): On Mount Cui, there are many lei birds. Their appearance is like a magpie, with red and black coloring, two heads, and four feet; they can be used to ward off fire. Sima Xiangru (Sīmǎ Xiàngrú), Rhapsody on the Shanglin Park (Shànglín Fù): The monkey and the flying lei. Annotation: The flying lei has a head with whiskers that it uses to fly. Pronounced lei (level tone). Guangya (Guǎngyǎ): The fei lei is a flying lei. Pronounced lei (level tone). The meaning is the same.