Wu Collection, Lower Volume
Radical: Spirit (shì)
Character: xi
Kangxi stroke count: 14
Page 844, Entry 23
According to the Guangyun (Broad Rhymes), Jiyun (Collected Rhymes), and Zhengyun (Correct Rhymes), the pronunciation is xi (falling-rising tone). The term fuxi refers to a sacrificial ritual for the removal of evil.
According to the Zhengzitong (Proper Character Mastery), there are two forms of the ritual. The Analects (Lunyu) mentions bathing in the Yi River. The event described by Wang Xizhi in his account of the Orchid Pavilion refers to this as the spring purification.
In the Rulu Fu (Rhapsody on the Capital of Lu) by Liu Zhen, it is noted that on the fourteenth day of the seventh month, people performed purification rituals and held aquatic festivities; this refers to the autumn purification.
Furthermore, the Xijing Zaji (Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital) records that Emperor Gaozu and Lady Qi would visit the Baizi Pool during the first month to bathe and wash away evil spirits. In the third month, on the day of the snake, they would perform music by running water. Thus, in the Han palaces, the spring purification was observed twice.
Additionally, according to the Jiyun (Collected Rhymes), the pronunciation is xie (rising tone), with the same meaning.