Shen Collection, Lower Volume
Radical: Cover (yà)
West. Kangxi stroke count: 6. Page 1128, Entry 10.
Ancient form. Pronounced xi.
Categorized Lexicon (Leipian): The direction of metal.
Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters (Shuowen Jiezi): Birds resting in a nest. The sun is in the west and birds return to rest, hence this is the seal script form of the character for west. The character is written as, a pictograph.
History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu), Treatise on Pitch Pipes and Calendar: Lesser Yin is the west, meaning to move. Yin energy moves and causes things to wither, which in terms of seasons corresponds to autumn.
Grand Commentary on the Book of Documents (Shangshu Dazhuan): What is the west? It is the fresh direction. Some say it is the fresh direction, the direction of questioning. Questioning refers to the appearance of questioning people.
Also a place name. Book of Jin (Jin Shu), Treatise on Geography: West Commandery.
Collection of Rhymes (Yunhui): The Tang Dynasty established West Prefecture.
Also a surname. General Records (Tongzhi), Treatise on Clans: The West clan. Surname Garden (Xingyuan): Descendants of Ximen Bao changed their surname to West.
Pronounced si. Same meaning.
Encyclopedia (Pianhai): Pronounced xian.
History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu), Hymns of the Suburban Sacrifices: The elephant carries the jade, the white gathers in the west, eating sweet dew, drinking from the glorious spring.
History of the Later Han (Houhan Shu), Zhao Yi Biography, Rhapsody on the Destitute Bird: Fortunately relying on the great worthy, feeling pity and compassion for me. Previously helped me in the south, now rouses me in the west.
Supplement to Rhymes (Yunbu): Pronounced xin. Rhymes with xin.
Wang Yanshou, Rhapsody on the Lingguang Hall of Lu: Sweet spirits surge in the dark ditches, sweet dew covers the eaves and descends. Red cassia and dark-colored fish in the north and south, fragrant orchids swaying in the east and west.
Categorized Lexicon (Leipian): Pronounced yue. A measure of capacity.
Broad Rhymes (Guangyun): The ancient seal script form is written as.
Note: According to works such as the Jade Chapter (Yupian), the character west belongs to a different section. Now, following the Compendium of Characters (Zihui) and the Corrected Pronunciation of Characters (Zhengzitong), it is appended to the Cover radical.
Textual Research: History of the Former Han (Qianhan Shu), Treatise on Suburban Sacrifices: The elephant carries the jade, the white gathers in the west, eating sweet dew, drinking from the glorious spring. We note that the Treatise on Suburban Sacrifices does not contain this text; we have corrected it to the Hymns of the Suburban Sacrifices in accordance with the original work.
