Chen Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Tree (mù) 椹 Kangxi stroke count: 13 Page 537, Entry 30 Pronounced zhen. Pronounced the same as zhen (anvil). In the Jade Dictionary (Yupian), it refers to an iron zhen, which is the chopping block placed underneath when cutting wood. Sometimes written as zhan, and also written as a variant form. The Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Ministry of Summer (Xiaguan), Office of Bows and Arrows (Si gong shi) records that the King's bow and the hu-bow are granted to those who can pierce armor, leather, and zhen-targets. Commentary: A zhen-board is set up as an archery target to test bow strength and practice martial arts. Additionally, the zhen-board is used as a block when executing criminals. In the Strategies of the Warring States (Zhan guo ce), Fan Ju says: My chest is not enough to withstand the executioner's zhen-board. Also, according to the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), it is pronounced ren (rising tone), with the same sound as shen (mulberry fruit). The Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen jiezi) writes it as shen. The Mao Version of the Book of Odes (Mao shi) writes it as dan. It is also commonly used for shen. It refers to the fruit of the mulberry tree. The Erya, Explaining Trees (Shi mu) states: Mulberry trees include those that bear fruit and those that do not. Commentary: The fruit of the mulberry tree is called shen; those that are half-fruited and half-not are called zhi. The Records of Wei (Weilue) records that when Yang Pei was the official of Xinzheng, he stockpiled dried mulberry fruits to guard against famine. Also, Zhang Hua’s Treatise on Natural Objects (Bowuzhi) records that in the great mountains of Jiangnan, fallen trees that grow fungi after spring and summer are called zhen. Also, the Materia Medica (Bencao) records that dai-zhen is another name for astragalus (huangqi). The Guide to Characters (Wen zi zhi gui) says that in popular usage it is used for the character for mulberry fruit. The Preparation for Unified Characters (Tong wen bei kao) believes this should be the character for mulberry fruit, and that zhen-board is a loan usage of this character. It is unclear which of these two theories is correct.