Xu Collection, Middle Volume Radical: Sound (yīn) Page 1397, Entry 29 In ancient texts, written as the character for uniformity (jūn). According to Tang Rhyme (Tangyun), Collected Rhymes (Jiyun), and Rhyme Compendium (Yunhui), pronounced yun (falling-rising tone). According to Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun), pronounced yun (falling-rising tone). The pronunciation is the same as the character for transport (yùn). Explaining the Characters and Writing Phrases (Shuowen Jiezi) defines it as harmony. The character is composed of the radical for sound (yīn) with the component for member (yuán) serving as the phonetic. Jade Chapters (Yupian) states: Harmonious sounds are called rhyme (yùn). The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons (Wenxin Diaolong) states: Different tones coordinated are called harmony (hé), and identical sounds echoing each other are called rhyme (yùn). The Book of Jin: Treatise on Harmonics and Calendrical Science (Jinshu: Lüli Zhi) states: In all matters concerning the root of sound, one must strive for harmony and rhythm; increase by doubling when adding, and decrease by half when reducing. Lu Ji in his Rhapsody on Literature (Wenfu) states: Collecting the fragmented texts of a hundred generations, and adopting the rhymed prose left behind over a thousand years. Note: The use of the character for rhyme (yùn) by literary figures first appears here. Books from the Han and Wei dynasties and earlier only used the character for sound (yīn) and did not use the character for rhyme (yùn). Since the Jin dynasty, the status of sound (yīn) declined and was replaced by rhyme (yùn). As for the oldest books on rhyme, none compare to the Classifications of Sounds (Shenglei) by Li Deng of the Wei state. Lü Jing of the Jin dynasty imitated his methods to create the Collection of Rhymes (Yunji). Zhou Yong of the Southern Qi dynasty began the work on Four Tones and Rhymes (Sisheng Qieyun). Shen Yue of the Liang dynasty produced one volume of Four Tones (Sisheng). Yang Jun, the Prince of Qin during the Sui dynasty, had the Rhyme Compendium (Yunzhuan). Lu Fayan produced the Tang Dynasty Rhymes (Qieyun). When the Tang Dynasty Rhymes (Tangyun) by Sun Mian appeared in the Tang dynasty, other books were largely discarded. Peng Nian and others of the Song dynasty revised the Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), and Ding Du produced the Collected Rhymes (Jiyun). Han Daozhao of the Jin dynasty produced the Five Tones and Collected Rhymes (Wuyin Jiyun). Huang Gongshao of the Yuan dynasty produced the Essentials of the Rhyme Compendium (Yunhui Juyao). During the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, Song Lian and others compiled the Correct Rhymes of the Hongwu Era (Hongwu Zhengyun). This provides the general history of the development of rhyme books. Furthermore, Correct Rhymes (Zhengyun) defines it as personal style or deportment. Pei Guangyuan, in his commentary on Explaining the Characters and Writing Phrases (Shuowen Jiezi), states: In ancient times, it was the same as the character for uniformity (jūn). The Book of Tang: Biography of Yang Shou (Tangshu: Yang Shou Zhuan) states: Revolving the palace modes, seven degrees constitute one uniformity (jūn). This uniformity (jūn) refers to the character for rhyme (yùn). Ancient texts lacked the character for rhyme (yùn), similar to referring to the sound of a rhyme. Sometimes also written in a variant form (yùn).