Chou Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Enclosure (wéi) 囚 Kangxi strokes: 5 Page 216, Entry 20 Pronounced qiu (rising tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Shuowen): To bind. Composed of the character for person inside the character for enclosure. Erya, Explanation of Words (Erya Shiyan): To detain. Customs of the People (Fengsutong): To urge. When words are exhausted and feelings revealed, one is punished for the crime. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Autumn Officer, Overseer of Prisoners commentary: A prisoner is one detained. Responsible for detaining those who should be executed. Also, regarding the Overseer of Prisoners: Responsible for guarding thieves and bandits. For all prisoners, those guilty of major crimes are fettered with hand-blocks and foot-shackles; those guilty of medium crimes are shackled with hand-blocks; those guilty of minor crimes are bound with hand-blocks only. Commentary: Hand-blocks are a single wooden device shared by both hands. Medium offenders are not bound by hand-blocks; hands and feet each have one device. Minor offenders are further freed from shackles. Also, a prisoner or criminal. Book of Rites (Liji), Monthly Ordinances: Release grave prisoners and increase their rations. Commentary: To release means to liberate. Grave prisoners are kept in tight confinement, so they are specially granted leniency and increased food. Also, legal statements are also called prisoners. Book of Documents (Shujing), Announcement to the Prince of Kang (Kanggao): Greatly deliberate the essential prisoner cases. Commentary: Essential prisoner cases are the critical aspects of legal statements. To deliberate is to judge, seeking a way to preserve life for the prisoner. Also, Classic of Poetry (Shijing), Odes of Lu: Presenting prisoners at the semi-circular water. Commentary: Prisoners are those who have been captured. Also, rhymes with the sound xu (rising tone). Wang Yi, Nine Longings (Jiusi): The white dragon is shot, the spiritual turtle is captured. Confucius suffers entrapment, Zou Yan is imprisoned.