Wei Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Rice (mǐ) 粥 Kangxi stroke count: 12 Page 908, Entry 36 Pronounced zhu. Rice gruel. Broad Rhymes (Guangyun), Compendium of Rhymes (Jiyun), Rhyme Meetings (Yunhui), and Orthodox Rhymes (Zhengyun) all state the pronunciation is zhu. Definitions from Records of Explanations (Shiming): Gruel is thin like congee; it is fluid. Book of Rites (Liji), Monthly Ordinances (Yueling): In the middle of autumn, practice dietary habits of consuming thin gruel. Record of Local Customs (Fengtuji): On the winter solstice, when the sun reaches its southern extreme and the yellow pitch pipe determines the lengthening days, the sprouts begin to move, and one prepares thick gruel to nourish the young. Nanyue Records (Nanyuezhi): In Luling city, there is a well with water that is half green and half yellow; the yellow water is sweet and smooth, suitable for making gruel, colored like gold, resembling lye, and very fragrant. Also, bean gruel. Book of Later Han (Hou Hanshu), Biography of Feng Yi: When Emperor Guangwu reached Raoyang Wulou Pavilion, Yi served him bean gruel. Book of Jin (Jinshu), Biography of Shi Chong: When Chong hosted guests, he would make bean gruel, which could be prepared in an instant. Also, tea gruel. Records of Tea (Chalu): People of Wu collect tea and boil it, calling it tea gruel. Also, elm bark gruel. Book of Tang (Tangshu), Biography of Yang Cheng: Living in seclusion in the Zhongtiao Mountains, during a year of famine, he ground elm bark into gruel. Also, celestial gruel. Essential Collection of Astronomy (Tianwen Jiyao): The Jade Well governs gruel. Also, in Liangzhou, gruel is called luoshe. Records of Strange Things (Yiwuzhi): Gaochang is a remote land, different from the Central Plains; in cold weather they drink cold water, and in summer they sip luoshe. Also, from the Explaining Graphs (Shuowen): Originally written as yu. Now commonly written as zhou. Book of Former Han (Qian Hanshu), Annals of Emperor Wen: Officials whose salaries included gruel were sometimes paid with old grain. Annotation: Yu is the same as zhou. Yan Shigu notes: The Yellow Emperor first cooked grains into gruel; in the Zhou dynasty it was called zhan, and in the states of Song and Wei it was called zhan. Also, a surname. Yu Xiong, a person from the time of King Wen of Zhou; the name is abbreviated as zhou. The state of Chu had Zhou Quan, a descendant of Xiong. Also, zhouzhou, indicating a humble appearance. Book of Rites (Liji), Conduct of Scholars (Ruxing): Humble and cautious, as if without ability. Commentary: Zhouzhou means a soft, weak, and simple appearance. Annotation: Also pronounced according to the fanqie for the character yang and the character liu. Also, Pronounced yu. Book of Former Han (Qian Hanshu), Treatises on Rites and Music (Liyuezhi): Zhouzhou, pronounced song. Annotation: Zhouzhou, an appearance of respect and fear. Yan Shigu notes: Zhou is pronounced according to the fanqie for the character yi and the character liu. Also, a name of a northern tribe. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals of the Five Emperors: The Yellow Emperor marched north against the Xunzhou. Annotation: Zhou is pronounced yu. Also, to sell. Book of Rites (Liji), Royal Regulations (Wangzhi): Fields and homesteads should not be sold. Xunzi, Rites Effectiveness Chapter (Ruxiao pian): Those in Lu who sell cattle and horses do not interfere with the prices. Also, from the Supplement to the Rhyme Meetings (Yunhui Xiaobu): Pronounced mi. Commonly written as mi. Also, rhyming with the fanqie for zhi and lv, pronounced zhi. Su Zhe, Zhongshan Poem: The old monk lives alone by the spring, for ten years sweeping away all traces of the human world. When guests arrive, he only burns cypress seeds, and hungry in the morning, he sits and looks at the gruel before the mountain.