Shen Collection, Upper Volume
Radical: Grass (cǎo)
Xiao
Kangxi Strokes: 18
Page 1059, Entry 01
Pronounced xiao.
It is mugwort. Book of Odes (Shijing): Gathering the mugwort. Commentary: What people today call mugwort is exactly this. Book of Rites (Liji): Mugwort is mixed with broomcorn and glutinous millet, its fragrance rising up to permeate the walls and roof.
Also, Book of Odes (Shijing): The horses whinny xiao xiao. Commentary: Describes the sound.
Also, History of the Former Han (Qian Han Shu): Between the Yangtze and Huai rivers, there was unrest, causing much exhaustion and expense. Commentary: Xiao is like sao, meaning the state of being distressed and uneasy.
Also, desolate, a lonely and quiet appearance. Song Yu, Nine Arguments (Jiubian): Desolate and bleak, the plants and trees wither and change in decay. Commentary: The yin energy shortens the season, and the fierce winds are violent and wild.
Also, Analects of Confucius (Lunyu): Not in Zhuanyu, but within the screen wall. He Yan commentary: Xiao means respectful, and wall refers to a folding screen. The ritual for ruler and subject to meet required greater respect at the screen.
Also, the name of an axe. Zuo Si, Rhapsody on the Capital of Wei (Wei Du Fu): The xiao axe retrieves its handle and hides its blade in a case. Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen) commentary: The xiao axe is an axe used for cutting mugwort.
Also, a state name. Zuo Tradition (Zuo Zhuan): Gao Ai of Song served as the warden of the Xiao region. Commentary: Xiao was a vassal state of the Song dynasty.
Also, a mountain pass name. History of the Former Han (Qian Han Shu): Heading north out of the Xiao Pass.
Also, a surname. Hidden Man’s Discourses (Qianfu Lun): The Xiao clan is an ancient surname from the Shang dynasty.
Also, rhyming with xiu. Examination of Ancient Sounds in the Book of Odes (Mao Shi Gu Yin Kao): Cold spring water soaking those dense mugworts. Rhymes with zhou. Qu Yuan, Nine Songs (Jiuge): The wind blows with a rustling sound, and the leaves rustle xiao xiao. Rhymes with you. Note: Regarding the Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li), Earth Officials, Officer of the Fields (Dianshi), and the note on mugwort and thatch: Zheng Xuan pronounced it as suo, and it was only with Du Zichun that it began to be pronounced as xiao.