Zi Collection, Page Position: Lower Radical: Hiding (xì) Character: yi Kangxi Dictionary Stroke Count: 18 Page: Page 155, Number 05 In the Tangyun and Zhengyun, the pronunciation is given as yu ji qie. In the Jiyun and Yunhui, it is given as yi ji qie. It is pronounced the same as yi. The Shuowen Jiezi explains this as a container for bows, arrows, and crossbow bolts. The character is composed of the radical hiding (xi) and arrow (shi), where arrow (shi) also provides the sound. The Discourses of Qi (Qi Yu) records that weapons are not returned to the case. Also, the Yupian explains it as an implement used to shield against arrows. It is sometimes written as the variant form yi. Regarding the character yi, referring to the form meaning doctor: In the Tangyun and Yunhui, the pronunciation is given as yu qi qie. In the Zhengyun, it is given as yu yi qie. It is pronounced the same as yi. The Shuowen Jiezi defines this as a person who treats illness. The Book of Rites (Liji) in the Quli chapter states that if a doctor has not practiced for three generations, one should not take his medicine. The Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) in the Biography of Bian Que records that he practiced medicine sometimes in the state of Qi and sometimes in the state of Zhao. It also refers to an official title. The Rites of Zhou (Zhouli) in the Tianguan section records that the chief physician manages the administrative orders of medicine and collects drugs to supply medical affairs. The commentary notes that the chief physician is the leader of all medical officials. The Book of the Later Han (Houhanshu) in the Treatise on Officials records that there was one Great Physician Director with a salary of six hundred shi. The commentary notes that this official managed all medical officers. It also refers to the name of a creature. The Notes on Things Past and Present (Gujin Zhu) by Cui Bao records that the gecko (yanting) is also called the snake doctor (sheyi). Furthermore, the Jiyun notes it is sometimes written as the variant form yi. The Book of the Later Han in the Biography of Guo Yu states that the character for doctor (yi) expresses the meaning of intention (yi). Also, in the Jiyun and Zhengyun, the pronunciation is given as yin qi qie, sounding the same as yi. The Yunhui explains this as a drink. The Wuyin Jiyun explains this as plum syrup. The Rites of Zhou in the section for the Wine Officer records four types of beverages, the second of which is called yi. The commentary notes that by using thick sweet wine to make a thin gruel (yi), it becomes slightly clearer. Furthermore, the Jiyun notes it is sometimes written as the variant forms yi or yi. The commentary for the Wine Officer in the Rites of Zhou cites Zheng Sinong, stating that for the syrup drink yi in the Rituals of the Household (Neize), the characters yi and yi sound similar but are written differently because the scribes had different ways of recording them. They are actually the same thing. The Shiwen records that some editions write the character yi as the variant form yi. Additionally, the Jiyun gives the pronunciation yi ji qie, sounding like yi. The Rites of Zhou under the Six Drinks records the first as yi. Xu Xianmin reads it in this way. Textual Research on the character yi: The Rites of Zhou in the Tianguan section mentions the chief physician. The commentary states the chief physician is the head of all medical officials. The sub-commentary states they manage the administrative orders of medicine and collect drugs to supply medical affairs. Now carefully revised according to the original text: The chief physician manages the administrative orders of medicine and collects drugs to supply medical affairs. The commentary notes that the chief physician is the leader of all medical officials.