You Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Speech (yán) Yao Kangxi stroke count: 17 Page 1176, Entry 01 Pronounced yao. Same as the other character. It means to sing a folk song. In the Erya (Erya) dictionary, section on music, it is noted that singing without musical accompaniment is called yao. In the Book of Odes (Shijing), in the Wei style section, it states: I sing and I chant. The commentary states: That which aligns with music is called ge (song); singing without accompaniment is called yao. Sun Yan says: It is a sound that wanders and sways. The Han version of the Odes states: That which has structure and rhythm is called ge; that which lacks structure and rhythm is called yao. Dai Tong says: Singing must have rhythmic measure, whereas yao is simply a lingering, swaying recitation that even children can perform, hence the term children's folk song (tongyao). In the History of the Former Han (Hanshu), chapter on literature and the arts, it states: Emperor Wu established the Music Bureau to collect folk songs and ballads. In the Book of Southern Qi (Nanqishu), chapter on the five elements, it states: Folk songs are matters of the mouth. If the breath is inverted, there may be evil words or strange, ominous chants. It also means to slander. For details, see the note on the character zhuo. Also, in the Jiyun (Jiyun) dictionary, it is sometimes written as the character you. In the Book of Rites (Liji), in the Tangong chapter, it states: If you are pottery, you hum; if you hum, it is like a chant (you). Also, in the Yunhui (Yunhui) dictionary, it is interchangeably used as the character yao. In the History of the Former Han (Hanshu), in the biography of Li Xun, it states: The people follow the customs (yao). The Shigu commentary states: This refers to things like children's ballads and the chants of the common people. Also, rhyming with the sound you. In the History of the Former Han (Hanshu), in Ban Gu's biographical preface, it states: Gui nested, Jiang at the divination, morning calculations offered to the turtle shell. Xuan and Cao rose and fell in a dream, the names and posthumous titles of Lu and Wei were inscribed in the folk song (yao). The character for turtle is pronounced qiu.