Wu Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Stone (shí) Gentry count: 17 Page 837, Entry 01 Pronounced qiao. The same as the character for stony land. It refers to land that is full of stones. According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi), it refers to stones. According to the Jade Chapters (Yupian), it refers to something hard. According to the Mencius (Mengzi), there are variations in the fertility and barrenness of land and the nourishment of rain and dew. According to the Annals of Emperor Jing in the History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu), some prefectures and kingdoms had land that was stony, barren, and narrow, providing no space for the cultivation of crops or silkworms. The commentary states that this refers to land that is hard and thin. Additionally, according to the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is also written in a variant form pronounced qiao, referring to hillside fields. Also pronounced jiao, with the same meaning.