Zi Collection, Page Position: Lower Radical: Child (ér) Character: Yan Kangxi strokes: 9 Page 125, Entry 13 Pronounced yan (rising tone). Shuowen Jiezi (Shuowen) defines this as the Yan of Yanzhou, which is the fertile land of the Nine Provinces. In the Tribute of Yu (Yu Gong) section of the Classic of History (Shujing), it is written: The Ji and He rivers constitute Yanzhou. The Spring and Autumn Annals: Comprehensive Treatise on the Mandate of the Five Stars (Chunqiu Yuanmingbao) states that the five stars constitute Yanzhou. Yan implies being upright and trustworthy. The Rhyme Dictionary (Yunhui) suggests it is named after the flowing water. The Later Wei established South Yanzhou at Qiao and West Yanzhou at Dingtao. The Sui dynasty renamed it Luzhou, the Tang dynasty restored it to Yanzhou, and the Song dynasty renamed it Xiqing Prefecture. It is also a surname. It is used interchangeably with the character pronounced yan (rising tone).