Shen Collection, Upper Volume Radical: Grass (cǎo) Ai; Kangxi strokes: 8; Page 1017, Entry 09 Pronounced ai (falling tone) Jade Record (Yupian): Wormwood. Book of Odes (Shijing), Kingdom of Wang: Collecting wormwood there. Commentary: Wormwood is used to heal illnesses. Annotation to the Quick Literacy Primer (Jijiu pian): Wormwood is also called ice terrace and medicinal herb. Record of Investigations of Things (Bowuzhi): Shave ice until round, hold it toward the sun, and place wormwood to catch the shadow to obtain fire; hence the name ice terrace. Materia Medica Annotation (Bencao zhu): Physicians use it to cauterize all illnesses, which is why it is called cautery herb. Broad Aphorisms (Boya): To grow old. Book of Rites (Liji), Songs of Refinement (Quli): At fifty one is called ai, serving in government office. Subcommentary: The hair turns grey like the color of wormwood. Yangzi’s Regional Dialects (Fangyan): In the regions of Eastern Qi, Lu, and Wei, all respected elders are called ai people. Approaching Refinement (Erya), Explaining Ancient Words (Shigu): Ai means to experience. Commentary: The elderly have experienced much. Approaching Refinement (Erya), Explaining Ancient Words (Shigu): Ai means to assist. Subcommentary: This refers to looking after one another. Also, it means beautiful. Mencius: When one knows how to appreciate beauty, one admires the young and beautiful. Also, it means to nourish. Book of Odes (Shijing), Lesser Odes (Xiaoya): Protect and nourish your descendants. Also, it means to cease. Zuo Tradition (Zuozhuan), Second Year of Duke Ai: The worry has not yet ceased. Commentary: Not yet extinguished. Also, it means to requite. Discourses of the States (Guoyu): Establish those with ritual propriety, and the requited people will certainly be abundant. Also, Historical Records (Shiji), Treatise on the Calendar: Heng-ai is exuberant. Search for Hidden Meanings (Suoyin): Heng-ai refers to the heavenly stem ren. Also, a mountain name. Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu), Sixth Year of Duke Yin: The Duke met the Marquis of Qi and formed an alliance at Ai. Commentary: There is an Ai Mountain southeast of Mou County in Mount Tai. Also, a pavilion name. Commentary on the Classic of Waterways (Shuijing zhu): Twenty li directly east of the old Qinghe, formerly of Ganling, there is an Ai Pavilion. Also, a surname. Comprehensive Records (Tongzhi), Epitome of Clans: Descendants of Ai Kong, a grand officer of the Spring and Autumn period. Also, pronounced yi (falling tone). To harvest. Book of Odes (Shijing), Zhou Hymns (Zhousong): Behold the harvesting with sickles. Guliang Tradition (Guliang zhuan), Twenty-eighth Year of Duke Zhuang: If one does not harvest for a year, the hundred surnames go hungry. Commentary: Ai means to harvest. Also, interchangeable with yi, meaning to govern. Former Han History (Qianhan shu), Treatise on Suburban Sacrifices: The world is governed and at peace. Also, Zhang Heng, Eastern Capital Rhapsody (Dongjing fu): Rising and soaring, spirited and vigorous. Commentary: Pei-ai describes a bearing or appearance. Five Classics Script (Wujing wenzi): Derived from the character yi, which is a miswriting. Collected Rhymes (Jiyun): Sometimes written as a variant form. The original character is derived from the character for grass placed below. Textual Research: Yangzi’s Regional Dialects (Fangyan): In the regions of Eastern Qi, Lu, and Wei, all respected elders are called ai people. I respectfully note that in the original text, there is no character for person after ai. I have corrected the character for person to the character for also, serving as a transitional word for the following meaning.