Xu Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Metal (jīn) 销 Kangxi strokes: 15 Page 1306, Entry 09 Pronounced xiāo. As defined in the Analytical Dictionary of Characters (Shuowen): To melt metal. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals of Qin Shi Huang: Collect the weapons of the world, gather them at Xianyang, and melt them down to cast bells and bell frames. Also refers to dispersing or consuming. Book of Han (Hanshu), Biography of Zou Yang: Accumulated slander can melt bones. Wang Bo, Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng: The rainbow disperses, the rain passes and the sky clears. Du Fu, Poetry: The sound of metal striking rings like a frost bell, candles burn down under urgency. Book of Rites (Liji), Record of Music (Yueji): If rituals are simplified without refinement, they will perish. Commentary: Xiao, pronounced xiāo. Meaning if one does not refine them oneself, the ritual system will perish and decline. Zhuangzi, Zeyang chapter: Its sound is faint. Commentary: Xiao, pronounced xiāo. Meaning small or faint. Zhang Xie, Seven Commands (Qi ming): The xiao iron is superior to the sheep-head knife. Commentary: Xiao refers to raw iron. Huainanzi, Xiuwu Training: The xiao of the sheep-head. Commentary: The xiao of the sheep-head refers to the white sheep blade. Also a surname. Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing): Di Hong fathered the White People, and the White People have the Xiao surname. Explanation of Names (Shiming): A spade (cha) can also be called a xiao. Xiao means to pare or scrape. It can be used for boring and scraping. Huainanzi, Qisu Training: Curved chisels, xiao, and saws. Commentary: Xiao, pronounced xiāo. Also used interchangeably with the character for dissipate (xiāo). Rites of Zhou (Zhouli), Winter Official, Record of Trades (Kaogongji), Li Clan’s Manufacture of Measures: To repeatedly smelt gold and tin so that they do not diminish. Commentary: The purity of smelted metal will not further decrease.