Wei Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Silk (mì) Page 943, Entry 05 Guangyun: Pronounced xian. Jiyun, Yunhui, Zhengyun: Pronounced xian. Shuowen: Meaning fine or delicate. Yangzi Fangyan: Xian means small. Among silk fabrics, the fine ones are called xian. Book of Documents (Shujing), Tribute of Yu (Yu Gong): That basket contained fine white silk. Commentary: Xian means fine. Songs of Chu (Chuci), Summoning the Soul (Zhao Hun): Wearing embroidered robes, wearing fine thin gauze. Annotation: Xian refers to silk fabrics of the gauze type. Record of Rites (Liji), Detailed Record (Jian Zhuan): When performing the sacrifice for the removal of mourning clothes, one wears xian. Annotation: Cloth woven with black warp and white weft is called xian. History of the Former Han (Qianhan), Annals of Emperor Wen: Wore fine cloth garments for seven days and then removed mourning clothes. Annotation: Xian refers to clothes made of fine cloth. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Winter Offices, Artificer's Record (Kaogongji), Wheel-wright (Lunren): Looking at the spokes of the wheel, wishing them to appear finely shaved and delicate. Annotation: Xiao and xian both describe a fine, small, and tapered appearance. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Biography of Sima Xiangru: Fluttering the ornaments of long robes, hanging down swallow-tail shaped decorations. Annotation: Xian refers to decorations on long robes. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Biographies of Money-makers (Huozhi Zhuan): The people of Zhou were already very frugal and stingy. Annotation: Xian refers to frugality and stinginess. Jiyun, Yunhui: Pronounced jian. Record of Rites (Liji), The Hereditary Prince of Wen Wang (Wenwang Shizi): That crime is punished with the piercing and cutting penalty. Annotation: Xian is pronounced as jian. Jian means to pierce. Yunhui: Pronounced xian. Interchangeable with the character xian (small/slight). History of the Former Han (Qianhan), Treatise on Food and Money (Shihuozhi): Extremely fine and extremely thorough. Annotation: Shigu said: xian is the same as the character xian.