Wei Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Bamboo (zhú) Character: Suan Kangxi strokes: 17 Page 896, Entry 13 Pronounced suan. A type of bamboo vessel. Book of Rites (Liji), section titled Mingtang Wei: Use jade dou vessels and carved suan. Commentary: Suan is a type of bian vessel. Sub-commentary: Made of bamboo, shaped like a basket (ju), with a carved and hollowed-out handle, hence called a carved suan. Also, a type of bamboo basket. In the work Pian Hai: Some say it is a plain vessel made of bamboo or wood. Book of Rites (Liji), section titled Sang Daji: Those who eat from a suan must wash their hands. Commentary: A bamboo basket. Also pronounced zuan. Same meaning as above. Also pronounced zhuan. To specialize; to compile. History of the Former Han Dynasty (Qian Hanshu), Bibliographic Treatise (Yiwenzhi): The origins of writing are ancient, and it was compiled by Confucius. Commentary: Meng Kang says: Suan is pronounced zhuan. Also in the History of the Former Han Dynasty (Qian Hanshu), Biography of Ban Gu (Xuzhuan): Exploring and compiling earlier records. Also pronounced zhuan. Same meaning as above. Also written as the same character, meaning to prepare food. History of the Former Han Dynasty (Qian Hanshu), Biography of Empress Dowager Wang (Yuanhou Zhuan): Set aside the old hall of the temple of Emperor Yuan to serve as a dining hall for the Empress Dowager. In the Jiyun dictionary, it is sometimes written as a variant form. It is also used interchangeably with the character suan.