Shen Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Insect (chóng). Character: Crab. Kangxi brush strokes: 19. Page 1098, Entry 49. Pronounced xiè. A type of insect. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Winter Officials, Examination of Craftsman, Note on side-walking: Side-walking refers to the crab family. Commentary: People today call them side-crabs because they walk sideways. Wings of the Erya (Erya Yi): The crab has eight kneeling feet and two claws. Its eight legs are bent and can bow downward, which is why they are called kneeling; its two claws can spread and reach upward, which is why they are called proud (ao). The character is derived from the element meaning to untie (jie) because it sheds its shell according to the tides. Its shell mostly has twelve deep carmine spots, similar to the thirty-six scales of a carp. The fullness or emptiness of its abdomen corresponds to the phases of the moon. Expanded Dictionary of Sounds and Meanings (Guangyun): An insect that lives in water. Immortal prescriptions state: If thrown into lacquer, it will turn into water, and consuming it can lead to longevity. If it is doused with the blood of a black dog and burned after three days, all sorts of things will appear. Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing): The state of Guye is in the sea, belonging to the Lieguye people, surrounded by mountains in the southwest. Giant crabs are in the sea. Commentary: Likely crabs a thousand miles in size. For the rest, see the annotations for entries such as the various types of crabs. Collected Sounds and Meanings (Jiyun): Also written as a variant form.