Shen Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Insect (chóng) Kangxi Strokes: 14 Page 1086, Entry 23 Pronounced tiao. Yu Pian (Jade Chapters): A cicada. Book of Odes (Shijing), Bin Customs: In the fifth month the cicadas sing. Book of Odes (Shijing), Greater Odes: Like the cicada, like the mantis. Commentary: The tiao is the cicada. The tang is the yanyan (a small cicada). Sub-commentary: Explaining Insects (Erya commentary) states: Tiao, lang-tiao, and tang-tiao. According to She Ren: they are all cicadas. Regional dialects differ; west of the Sanfu region they are called tiao; west of Liang and Song they are called yanyan; in the Chu region they are called huigu. The Songs of Chu (Chuci) states: The huigu sings chirping, which refers to this. Lu Ji’s commentary states: The tang is also named yandiao. The Forest of Characters (Zilin) notes that it is sometimes written as liao. People in Qing and Xu call it xilao. Therefore, tang and yanyan are simply alternative names for the cicada. Erya, Explaining Insects: Tiao, lang-tiao. Note: The Xia Xiaozheng records that the lang-tiao possesses five colors. Also: Tang-tiao. Note: The Xia Xiaozheng records that the tang-tiao is the yanyan. Commonly known as the hu-chan (foreign cicada); in the Jiangnan region it is called tang-yi. Also: Jie, the mao-tiao. Note: Called maojie in the Jiangdong region; it resembles a cicada but is smaller and green. Also: Mian, the ma-tiao. Note: The largest of the cicadas is the horse cicada. Also: Ni, the han-tiao. Note: The han-jiang (cold cicada). It resembles a cicada but is smaller and green. Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang (Youyang Zazhu): Cicadas of this type sing from their sides. Also: Tiao-jia, the slough of a cicada. Zhuangzi, Allegorical Words: I am like the sloughed shell of a cicada. Also pronounced diao. Tiao-jiu: The appearance of a dragon’s head swaying. History of the Former Han Dynasty (Qian Hanshu), Biography of Sima Xiangru: Tiao-jiu yanjian, standing lofty and precarious. Also pronounced chou. Wang Bao, Nine Longings (Jiu Huai): In the forest, the birds sing chirping, why do I linger in the Central Provinces? Taking advantage of the fine weather, I harness my carriage to pluck the jade blossoms and cultivate myself. Yu Pian (Jade Chapters): Also written as a variant form.