Si Collection, Lower Volume
Radical: Cow (niú)
Kangxi Strokes: 13
Page 703, Entry 02
Correct Pronunciation (pian). Yan Shigu states: The yak is the same as the pian cow. The record Shuidong Riji states: When a yak and a hump-backed cow mate, they produce a pian cow. Its appearance resembles a yak, and it is caused by an imbalance of energy, hence it is called pian. According to this account, the pian is a breed descended from the yak and is not identical to the yak itself. Upon examination, classical dictionaries do not contain the character for pian. The Zhengzitong (Correction of Characters) is a later addition. In his annotations to the Rhapsody on the Shanglin Park (Shanglin Fu), Yan Shigu states: The mao-cow is what is now called the pian cow. It was originally written as pian. Only Wu Renchen in his annotations to the Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing) states: Li Dongbi says the mao-cow has another name, the pian cow. This is the lü-cow mentioned in the Er-Ya (Approaching the Correct). The character for pian is formed with the cow radical, which matches the Zhengzitong.