Chou Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Earth (tǔ). Character: ài. Kangxi strokes: 17. Page 241, Entry 08. Guangyun (Broad Rhymes), Jiyun (Collected Rhymes), and Zhengyun (Correct Rhymes) state the pronunciation is ai (falling-rising tone). It refers to the aggregation of dust and earth. In the Western Capital Rhapsody (Xidu Fu) by Ban Gu, it is written: Surpassing the turbidity of dust and earth. In the Autumn Rain Linked Verses (Qiuyu Lianju) by Han Yu, it is written: The dark earth turns into fine dust. It also appears in the phrase, not ai water. According to the Danyang Chronicle (Danyang Zhi), Mount Jiang in Maling has the water of eight virtues: first, it is clear; second, it is cool; third, it is fragrant; fourth, it is soft; fifth, it is sweet; sixth, it is clean; seventh, it does not contain dust and earth; and eighth, it can eliminate illness. Also, according to Jiyun (Collected Rhymes), the pronunciation is gai (falling-rising tone), with the same meaning. According to the Six Books (Liushu Gu), the character is simplified. There is also a common variant form.