Shen Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Grass (cǎo) Pin Kangxi stroke count: 22 Page 1025, Entry 10 Pronounced pin. Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining and Analyzing Characters): Originally written as the base character. It is a large duckweed. Erya (Approaching Elegance), Commentary on Grasses: Duckweed is called ping, and its large variety is called pin. Bencao Jijie (Collected Commentaries on Materia Medica): A plant consisting of four leaves that form one, resembling the character for field, is pin. Book of Odes (Shijing), Shao Nan: To gather the pin. Commentary: In ancient times, those about to marry off a daughter would first perform rites for her at the ancestral hall, using fish as a sacrificial offering, and garnish it with pin and algae. Sub-commentary: The word pin implies guest. Explanation of Texts: The Han version of the Odes states: That which sinks is called pin. Lüshi Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü): Among excellent vegetables, there is the pin of Kunlun. Erya Yi (Expanded Erya): Pin resembles the leaf of a locust tree and grows in clusters in shallow water. In the fifth month, it has white flowers, hence it is called white pin. Chu Ci (Songs of Chu), Nine Chapters: Ascending the white pin to gaze into the distance. Textual research: Book of Odes, Shao Nan: To gather the pin. Sub-commentary: The Han version of the Odes states: That which sinks is called pin. (In accordance with the original book, the sub-commentary has been corrected to refer to the Explanation of Texts). Lüshi Chunqiu: Among excellent vegetables, there is the pin of Kunlun. (Note: The original text assigned the word sea to the preceding clause rather than this one; the word sea has been omitted here).