Hai Collection, Lower Volume Radical: Flute (yuè) Kangxi Strokes: 17 Page 1538, Entry 25 Pronounced yuè. According to the Shuowen Jiezi (Explanation of Graphs and Analysis of Characters), it refers to a bamboo wind instrument with three holes used to harmonize various sounds. It is composed of the components for three mouths and order, with order signifying arrangement. According to the Guangya (Expanded Elegance), it is also called a flute and has seven holes. Book of Odes (Shijing), Beifeng section: Holding the flute in the left hand. Also written in the variant form yue (籥). According to the Erya (Approaching Elegance), section on music: A large yue is called a chan, the middle-sized one is called a zhong, and the smallest one is called a yue. Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu), Eighth year of Duke Xuan: On the day of renwu, the ritual ceremony continued; the dancers entered and put away their flutes. Commentary: A yue is a type of pipe. Also, according to the Zheng Yun (Correct Rhymes), it is a measure of volume. The vessel is shaped like a jue (a ritual wine vessel), intended to signify the conferring of rank and salary. According to the History of the Former Han (Qian Hanshu), Treatises on Harmonics and Calendars: The yue is the physical realization of the yellow bell pitch pipe; it represents the springing forth of subtle energy that gives birth to things. It holds one thousand two hundred grains of millet. Two yue make one he; ten he make one sheng; ten sheng make one dou; ten dou make one hu. According to the Zihui (Collection of Characters): A bamboo pipe for music is called a yue. Only the yellow bell pipe is filled with millet to establish the basis for the five measures. In the Shuowen Jiezi, the character for the musical instrument was originally written as yue. A separate character, yue (籥), was created, with a note stating it refers to bamboo tablets used by students for writing, meaning woven bamboo used for practicing calligraphy. Today, yue is used for the volume measure, and yue (籥) is used for the musical instrument; later generations followed this distinction. The character is composed of the components for three mouths and order. It is commonly simplified by writing only two mouths. Textual research: In the Shiming (Explanation of Names), it is stated that the yue is called a flute. This has been corrected to refer to the Guangya (Expanded Elegance) in accordance with the original text.