Hai Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Salt (lǔ) Kangxi Strokes: 20 Page 187, Entry 01 Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), and Collection of Rhymes (Yunhui) define the pronunciation as xian. Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun) defines it as xian. Pronounced xian. According to the Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen): Xian means to grasp in the mouth. It is the taste associated with the north. Broad Rhymes (Guangyun): Not bland. Collection of Rhymes (Yunhui): The taste of salt. Approaching Elegance (Erya), Explaining Words (Shiyan): Xian means bitter. Commentary: When a quality is extreme, it must be bitter; therefore, xian is used to mean bitter. Book of Documents (Shangshu), Great Plan (Hongfan): Moistening downward creates the salty taste. Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Offices of Heaven (Tianguan), Physician: Use the salty taste to nourish the pulses. Also, a place name. Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu), Thirteenth Year of Duke Xi: A meeting was held at Xian. Commentary: A territory of the Wei state; there is a Xian City southeast of Puyang County in the Dong Commandery. Also, according to the Collection of Rhymes (Yunhui), pronounced jian. Materia Medica (Bencao): Li Shizhen stated: When pronounced xian, it refers to the taste of moistening downward; when pronounced jian, it is the name for raw salt. Later generations created the characters for alkali (jian) and (jian), which is correct.