You Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Speech (yán) Kangxi Strokes: 11 Page 1149, Entry 03 Ancient form: xuan. Pronounced song (falling tone). Shuowen Jiezi: To dispute. Liushu Gu: To argue right and wrong before officials or authorities. Book of Changes (Yijing), Commentary on the Litigation Hexagram: In all cases of litigation, there is something that does not harmonize with feelings, leading to contention and subsequent litigation. Commentary: To argue and debate. Miscellaneous Hexagrams: Litigation means lack of intimacy. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Earth Officers, Grand Minister of Instruction: For all the ten thousand people who do not submit to instruction and have criminal cases or civil disputes, hear and adjudicate them. Commentary: Contention over crimes is called a criminal case, contention over wealth is called a litigation. Sub-commentary: This is an example of paired terms; if criminal cases and civil disputes are not contrasted, then contention over wealth may also be termed a criminal case. Diverse opinions and disagreements mixed together. History of the Later Han (Houhan Shu), Biography of Cao Bao: Those who gather to discuss ritual are called a gathered litigation. Commentary: It means to contend with one another without resolution. To submit a petition to clear someone of a grievance is called song. History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu), Biography of Wang Mang: Officials and the people submitting petitions of grievance regarding Mang numbered in the hundreds. To reproach. Analects (Lunyu): I have never seen anyone who can see their own faults and internally reproach themselves. Commentary: Song is synonymous with to reproach. Public. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals of Empress Lu: Not daring to speak publicly about executing them. Commentary: Song means public, similar to speaking clearly. Yunhui Xiaobu: Interchangeable with song (to chant). History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu), Annals of Empress Lu, Commentary by Deng Zhan: Public speech is to speak openly. Zhengzitong: Song can also be pronounced gong. Interchangeable with gong (public). Yunhui: Interchangeable with song (hymn). Shuowen Jiezi: To sing and chant. Xu Xuan says: In the ancient version of the Book of Odes (Shijing), the character for the Odes (Song) is often written as song (litigation). Pronounced song (level tone). Also refers to criminal disputes. Book of Odes (Shijing), Shao Nan: Why hasten my litigation? (Rhymes with yong and cong). Master Mao says: The commentary to the Book of Changes states that litigation means to dispute, which is to speak before the public. The character is composed of the radical for speech and the character for public, forming an ideograph. It also shares the sound of gong. Therefore, it rhymes with cong in the Book of Odes. The Book of Changes uses it with a falling tone, which is not entirely appropriate. It should be based on the sound in the Book of Odes, as the two rhymes are interchangeable. Pronounced rong. To remonstrate. Book of History (Shangshu), Canon of Yao: Can the boastful and litigious be tolerated? Ma Rong wrote it as yong. To tolerate. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Biography of King Pi of Wu: If officials from other commanderies and kingdoms wanted to come and arrest fugitives, they would tolerate and forbid it, not handing them over. Commentary: Pronounced rong. It means to tolerate them and forbid their arrest, not giving them up. Also rhymes with gu, pronounced gong. Pan Yue, Guanzhong Poem: Having verified your statements, again decide your litigation. If it is true, then clarify the facts; if it is not, then testify to the void. Also rhymes with cu, pronounced cang. Wei Wudi (Cao Cao), Dui Jiu Qu: The prime minister and his associates are all loyal and virtuous, all are courteous and yielding, and the people have nothing to dispute or litigate.