Wu Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Vessel (mǐn) 盤 Kangxi Stroke Count: 15 Page 796, Entry 09 Ancient form: 鎜 Pronounced pan (level tone) According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it is a vessel for holding things. The Correct Meaning of Characters (Zhengzitong) states it is a vessel for containing items, sometimes made of wood, tin, or copper. Book of Zuo (Zuo Zhuan), Year 23 of Duke Xi: "They presented the offerings and placed the jade and silk on the vessel." Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Biographies of the Jesters: "Cups and vessels were in disarray." Annals of Lü Buwei (Lüshi Chunqiu): "Merits and names are inscribed on vessels and bowls." Also, bathing vessels are called by this name. Book of Rites (Liji), Great Record of Mourning (Sang Daji): "Wash the body using an earthenware vessel." Great Learning (Daxue): "The inscription on the vessel of Tang." Annotation: "This refers to a bathing vessel." Also, the name of a country. History of the Southern Dynasties (Nan Shi), Annals of Emperor Wu of Liang: "The country of Panpan sent envoys to offer tribute." Also, the first to emerge and rule the world was Pangu (Pangu Shi). Ren Fang, Record of Strange Things (Shuyi Ji): "Pangu is the beginning of the couple of yin and yang, the ancestor of heaven, earth, and all things. People of the Pangu country in the South Sea today all use Pangu as their surname." Also, the name of a dog. Gan Bao, In Search of the Supernatural (Soushen Ji): "Emperor Gaoxin had a dog with five-colored patterns named Panhu." Also, a surname. In the Longqing era of the Ming dynasty, there was a Pan Ming. Also, as in the term "panhuan" (lingering), meaning not advancing. Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Biography of Zhang Kai: "Before this, the summons were issued, but he lingered and did not arrive." Also, interchangeable with "ban" (joyful). Approaching the Standard (Erya), Explaining Words: "Joy." Book of Documents (Shujing), Song of the Five Sons: "Then he indulged in pleasure without measure." Mencius: "Indulging in pleasure and being lazy and arrogant." Also, interchangeable with "pan" (coiled). Collected Rhymes (Jiyun): "Curved." Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Rhapsody on the Master of Void (Zixu Fu): "The mountains are coiled and twisted, dense and lush." Eulogy by Zhuge Liang: "At the beginning, the nine dragons were coiled." Also, Pan Geng, name of a Shang dynasty king. Book of the Former Han (Qian Hanshu), Table of Ancient and Modern People: Written as Ban Geng. Also, Goupan, one of the nine rivers. Approaching the Standard (Erya), Annotation on Explaining Water: "The water bends like a hook, the current is winding." Also, the name of a gate. Lu Guangwei, Records of the Wu Region (Wu Di Zhi): Pan Gate, anciently written as Pan (coiled) Gate. Wood was once carved into a coiled dragon to suppress the Yue region. Also, commonly written as "pan" (large stone). Book of the Former Han (Qian Hanshu), Annals of Emperor Wen: "The clan of the large stone (pan)." Cheng Gongshui, Rhapsody on Whistling (Xiao Fu): "Sitting on a large stone." Annotation: "Pan is a large stone." Also, interchangeable with "tan" (a type of vermin). Book of Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu), Commentary on the First Year of Duke Yin: Guo Pu says: "The 'fei' is the same as the 'fupan', a foul-smelling insect." Collected Rhymes (Jiyun): Written as "futan". Also, rhymes with the sound "ping" (level tone). Ancient Poetry: "The upper branches are like pines and cypresses, the lower roots rest on a bronze vessel. The carvings are each of a different type, like the eyes of Li Lou connecting together." Also, rhymes with the sound "xuan". Zhang Heng, Rhapsody on the Southern Capital (Nan Du Fu): "Wandering back and forth, dancing, tying up the increasing sorrow of the nine autumns, resenting the coiled dance of the Western Jing." Annotation: "Western Jing is the Chu dance. Zhepán refers to the appearance of the dance." Also, in the Three Gorges of the Shu River, where water swirls in circles and is unstable, it is called by this name. Also written as "xuan" (whirlpool). Zhang Guo, Poem on Yellow Ox Gorge: "The swirling eddy flows backward into the hollow earth, the broken cliffs divide the winding clouds." Yuan Jue, Poem: "Teaching the people to sweep the grass, transforming the customs like the water's whirlpool." Also, rhymes with the sound "ping". Cui Yuan, Inscription on the Tripod of General Dou: "Yu carved the tripod, Tang engraved the vessel. Recording merits and offering warnings, leaving rules for later generations." Rhyme Supplement (Yunbu): "Geng rhymes with Zhen." The Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi) notes the original form is "pan". The Broad Rhymes (Guangyun) notes the colloquial form is "pan".