You Collection, Middle Volume
Radical: Badger (zhì)
Kangxi Strokes: 12
Page 1200, Entry 25
Tangyun, Jiyun, Yunhui, Zhengyun: Pronounced na (falling tone).
Erya (Literary Expositor), Chapter on Explaining Beasts: The ne is a creature without front feet. Commentary: In the seventh year of the Taikang era of the Jin dynasty, Shaoling Fuyi County captured a wild beast in a cage; it resembled a dog but had the spots of a leopard, horns on its head, and two front feet; this belongs to that category. Another account states that the ne resembles a tiger but is black and lacks two front feet.
Shuowen (Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters): The laws of the Han dynasty stipulated that those who could capture jackals and ne were rewarded with one hundred coins.
Book of Tang (Tangshu), Biography of the Uyghur: The Xiajiasi were the ancient Jiankun state; their wild beasts include wild horses and the bone-ne.
Yiwuzhi (Record of Strange Things): The ne is produced in Korea; it resembles a civet cat, is bluish-black in color, lacks two front feet, and is skilled at catching prey.
Zangqi states: The bone-nu beast is produced in the western Tujue (Turkic) state; it resembles a fox but is larger and has a long tail.
Linhai Zhi (Record of Linhai): Its shape is like a deer, its head is like a dog, and it is produced in the waters of the Eastern Sea.
Zongshi states: It is currently produced in Dengzhou and Laizhou; its appearance is neither dog nor beast nor fish. Its front feet are like those of a beast, its tail is like that of a fish, its body has short, bluish-white hair, and there are black spots on the fur. Some say that the wuna navel mentioned in medical books is the external kidney of the ne. Note: This account does not align with the record in the Erya, so it is recorded here for reference.
Also, Jiyun: Pronounced duo (entering tone). Also pronounced gu (entering tone). The meanings are the same.
Textual Research: Erya, Chapter on Explaining Beasts: The ne has no front feet. Commentary: There is another account that the ne resembles a tiger but is black and lacks two front feet. Following the original text, the character for front has been added before feet.
