Wei Collection, Middle Volume
Radical: Silk (mì)
Character: Qiang
Kangxi strokes: 17
Page 937, Entry 10
Pronounced qiang (rising tone). According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it refers to a type of wrap. According to the Jade Chapters (Yupian), it also refers to a string for tethering coins. In the Treatise on Food and Money from the History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu), it is written that there were thousands of strings of coins. According to the Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), the common form is written as a variant form (qiang). Additionally, according to the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is the same as the character for a baby swaddle (qiang). In the Biography of General Wei from the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), it is noted that Qing's son was still in his swaddling clothes. The commentary states: The swaddle is one foot and two inches long and eight inches wide, used to bind a small child to one's back. According to the Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), it also refers to knots or lumps found in silk thread.