寧

See also: 宁 and 寜

寧 U+5BE7, 寧 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5BE7 ← 實 [U+5BE6] CJK Unified Ideographs 寨 → [U+5BE8]

寧 U+F95F, 寧 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F95F ← 丹 [U+F95E] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 怒 → [U+F960]

寧 U+F9AA, 寧 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F9AA ← 囹 [U+F9A9] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 嶺 → [U+F9AB]

寧 U+2F86F, 寧 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F86F ← 寘 [U+2F86E] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 寳 → [U+2F870]

Translingual

Han character

寧 (Kangxi radical 40, 宀+11, 14 strokes, cangjie input 十心月弓 (JPBN), four-corner 3020₁, composition ⿱寍丁)

Derived characters

• 儜, 嚀, 嬣, 㣷, 懧, 擰, 濘, 獰, 檸, 矃, 聹, 䗿, 鑏, 䭢
• 㲰, 鸋, 薴, 鬡

Additional Derived Characters

• 𰚴, 𤘓, 𤪥, 𦡲, 𤾱, 𥣗, 𦆭, 𧭈(𫍾), 𧰗, 𮚫, 𨊓, 𨲸
• 𭔞, 𭟋, 𰍡, 𮄽, 𫴞, 𡫸, 𭔦, 𭔤, 𭔥, 𩁔, 𭔧, 𭔨, 𩕳, 𡬗, 𤻝

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 291, character 8
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 7296
• Dae Jaweon: page 577, character 2
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 949, character 5
• Unihan data for U+5BE7

• Unihan data for U+F95F

• Unihan data for U+F9AA

• Unihan data for U+2F86F

Chinese

trad.		寧
simp.		宁*
alternative forms		寍 㝕 𡩋 甯 𡨴 寍 㝕 𡩋 甯 𡨴 寜 寕

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 寧
Shang	Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (寧) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
濘	*neːs, *neːŋʔ, *neːŋs
獰	*rnaːŋ
檸	*rnaːŋʔ
儜	*rneːŋ
薴	*rneːŋ
鬡	*rneːŋ
鑏	*rneːŋ
嬣	*rneːŋ
寍	*neːŋ
寗	*neːŋs
甯	*neːŋs
寧	*neːŋ
鸋	*neːŋ, *neːŋs
嚀	*neːŋ
聹	*neːŋ, *neːŋʔ

Oracle bone script: Ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意): 宀 (“house”) + 皿 (“food or wine vessel”) + 丂 (“table (?)”) – contentment. The 心 (“heart”) component was added in bronze inscriptions to yield 寧, and the 丂 component was sometimes omitted to yield 寍.

Shuowen: Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *neːŋ): phonetic 寍 (OC *neːŋ) + semantic 丂 (“speech (?)”).

Note that the simplified form 宁 (zhù) is also a traditional character on its own.

Etymology 1

Either related to Burmese ညင်း (nyang:, “soft, gentle, quiet”) or connected to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s/k-niŋ (“heart, mind, brain”) (Schuessler, 2007)

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): níng (ning²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄧㄥˊ

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ning⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): nen³

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): nèn

  (Hailu, HRS): nen

  (Meixian, Guangdong): nên²

• Northern Min (KCR): nǎing
• Eastern Min (BUC): nìng
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): neng²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): lêng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): lêng⁵

• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶gnin / ²gnin

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: níng
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄧㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: níng
    • Wade–Giles: ning²
    • Yale: níng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ning
    • Palladius: нин (nin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /niŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ning⁴
    • Yale: nìhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ning⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: ning⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nɪŋ²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: nen³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ⁿden²²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: nèn
    • Hakka Romanization System: nen^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: nen²
    • Sinological IPA: /nen¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: nen
    • Sinological IPA: /nen⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: nên²
    • Sinological IPA: /nɛn¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: nǎing
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /naiŋ²¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: nìng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nˡiŋ⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Jiangkou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: neng²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: néng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nɛŋ¹³/
  • (Nanri)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: neng²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ne̞ŋ¹³/
  • (Xianyou, Youyang, Fengting)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: neng²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nɛŋ²⁴/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lêng
    • Tâi-lô: lîng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: leeng
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /liɪŋ²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /liɪŋ²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /liɪŋ¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /liɪŋ²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /liɪŋ²³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: lêng⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lêng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /leŋ⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶gnin
    • MiniDict: nyin^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³nyin
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /n̠ʲin²³/
  • (Northern: Suzhou, Hangzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²gnin
    • MiniDict: nyin^平
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /n̠ʲin²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /n̠ʲin²³/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 寧
Mandarin	Beijing	/niŋ³⁵/
	Harbin	/niŋ²⁴/
	Tianjin	/niŋ⁴⁵/ 安～
	Jinan	/ȵiŋ⁴²/
	Qingdao	/niŋ⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/niŋ³¹²/
	Xi'an	/niŋ²⁴/
	Xining	/ȵiə̃²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/niŋ⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/ȵĩn⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/ȵiŋ⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/nin²¹³/
	Chengdu	/nin³¹/
	Guiyang	/nin²¹/
	Kunming	/lĩ¹/
	Nanjing	/lin²⁴/
	Hefei	/lin⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/niəŋ¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ȵiŋ¹³/
	Hohhot	/nĩŋ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ȵiŋ²³/
	Suzhou	/ȵin¹³/
	Hangzhou	/ȵin²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/ȵaŋ³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/niʌ̃⁴⁴/
	Tunxi
Xiang	Changsha	/ȵin¹³/
	Xiangtan	/ȵin¹²/
Gan	Nanchang
Hakka	Meixian	/nen¹¹/
	Taoyuan	/nen¹¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/neŋ²¹/
	Nanning	/neŋ²¹/
	Hong Kong	/niŋ²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/liŋ³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/niŋ⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/naiŋ²¹/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/leŋ⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/neŋ³¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: neng

Rime
Character	寧
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	泥 (8)
Final (韻)	青 (125)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	奴丁切
Baxter	neng
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/neŋ/
Pan Wuyun	/neŋ/
Shao Rongfen	/nɛŋ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/nɛjŋ/
Li Rong	/neŋ/
Wang Li	/nieŋ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/nieŋ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	níng
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ning4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*nˤeŋ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*neːŋ/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	寧
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	níng
Middle Chinese	‹ neng ›
Old Chinese	/*nˁeŋ/
English	peace
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	寧
Reading #	1/1
No.	9556
Phonetic component	寧
Rime group	耕
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	寧
Old Chinese	/*neːŋ/

Definitions

寧

1. peaceful; tranquil; serene; at peace

   心緒不寧／心绪不宁  ―  xīnxù bù níng  ―  restless; uneasy

   • 首出庶物，萬國咸寧。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     首出庶物，万国咸宁。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: I Ching, 11^th – 8^th century BCE

     Shǒu chū shùwù, wànguó xiánníng. [Pinyin]

     (The sage) appears aloft, high above all things, and the myriad states all enjoy repose.

2. (literary) to stabilise; to pacify

   息事寧人／息事宁人  ―  xīshìníngrén  ―  to end a dispute or conflict and calm the people down

3. (obsolete) to mourn for one's deceased parent
4. (literary, especially of married women) to visit one's parents
5. Alternative name for 江寧／江宁 (Jiāngníng, “old name for Nanjing”).

   滬寧鐵路／沪宁铁路  ―  hù níng tiělù  ―  Shanghai-Nanjing railway

6. Alternative name for 寧夏／宁夏 (Níngxià, “Ningxia”).

Compounds

• 丁寧 / 丁宁 (dīngníng)
• 不寧 / 不宁 (bùníng)
• 不寧不耐 / 不宁不耐
• 不寧奈 / 不宁奈
• 不遑寧處 / 不遑宁处
• 伊寧 / 伊宁 (Yīníng)
• 保寧 / 保宁 (bǎoníng)
• 克寧 / 克宁
• 列寧主義 / 列宁主义 (Lièníng zhǔyì)
• 列寧格勒 / 列宁格勒 (Liènínggélè)
• 北寧鐵路 / 北宁铁路
• 南寧 / 南宁 (Nánníng, “Nanning”)
• 咸寧 (Xiánníng)
• 唐寧街 / 唐宁街 (Tángníng Jiē)
• 單寧 / 单宁 (dānníng)
• 單寧酸 / 单宁酸 (dānníngsuān)
• 坐臥不寧 / 坐卧不宁 (zuòwòbùníng)
• 坤寧宮 / 坤宁宫
• 太寧 / 太宁
• 奉寧 / 奉宁
• 奎寧 / 奎宁 (kuíníng)
• 安寧 / 安宁 (ānníng)
• 安寧照顧 / 安宁照顾
• 寧夏 / 宁夏 (Níngxià)
• 寧奈 / 宁奈
• 寧家 / 宁家
• 寧帖 / 宁帖
• 寧德 / 宁德 (Níngdé)
• 寧心 / 宁心
• 寧息 / 宁息
• 寧日 / 宁日 (níngrì)
• 寧武 / 宁武 (Níngwǔ)
• 寧武關 / 宁武关 (Níngwǔguān)
• 寧波 / 宁波 (Níngbō)
• 寧漢分裂 / 宁汉分裂
• 寧瑪派 / 宁玛派 (Níngmǎpài)
• 寧神 / 宁神
• 寧綢 / 宁绸
• 寧謐 / 宁谧 (níngmì)
• 寧貼 / 宁贴
• 寧遠 / 宁远 (Níngyuǎn)
• 寧靖 / 宁靖 (níngjìng)
• 寧靜 / 宁静 (níngjìng)
• 崇寧 / 崇宁
• 平寧 / 平宁
• 底寧 / 底宁
• 康寧 / 康宁
• 建寧 / 建宁 (Jiànníng)
• 心神不寧 / 心神不宁 (xīnshénbùníng)
• 息事寧人 / 息事宁人 (xīshìníngrén)
• 攖寧 / 撄宁
• 普寧 / 普宁 (Pǔníng)
• 東寧王國 / 东宁王国
• 歸寧 / 归宁 (guīníng)
• 永無寧日 / 永无宁日 (yǒngwúníngrì)
• 江寧 / 江宁 (Jiāngníng)
• 洛寧 / 洛宁 (Luòníng)
• 海寧 / 海宁 (Hǎiníng)
• 海寧觀潮 / 海宁观潮
• 濟寧 / 济宁 (Jǐníng)
• 白朗寧 / 白朗宁
• 睡臥不寧 / 睡卧不宁
• 瞑目寧心 / 瞑目宁心
• 福壽康寧 / 福寿康宁
• 萬寧 / 万宁 (Wànníng)
• 管寧割席 / 管宁割席
• 綏寧 / 绥宁 (suíníng)
• 荒寧 / 荒宁
• 西寧 / 西宁 (Xīníng)
• 西寧毛 / 西宁毛
• 遂寧 / 遂宁 (Suìníng)
• 遼寧 / 辽宁 (Liáoníng)
• 金寧 / 金宁 (Jīnníng)
• 雞犬不寧 / 鸡犬不宁 (jīquǎnbùníng)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): nìng, níng

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄧㄥˋ, ㄋㄧㄥˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ning⁴ / ning⁶
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): nèn
• Eastern Min (BUC): nìng
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): lēng / lêng

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: nìng
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄧㄥˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: nìng
    • Wade–Giles: ning⁴
    • Yale: nìng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ninq
    • Palladius: нин (nin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /niŋ⁵¹/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: níng
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄧㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: níng
    • Wade–Giles: ning²
    • Yale: níng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ning
    • Palladius: нин (nin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /niŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ning⁴ / ning⁶
    • Yale: nìhng / nihng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ning⁴ / ning⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: ning⁴ / ning⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nɪŋ²¹/, /nɪŋ²²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: nèn
    • Hakka Romanization System: nen^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: nen²
    • Sinological IPA: /nen¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: nìng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nˡiŋ⁵³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lēng
    • Tâi-lô: līng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: leng
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /liɪŋ⁴¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /liɪŋ²²/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lêng
    • Tâi-lô: lîng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: leeng
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /liɪŋ²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /liɪŋ²⁴/

Definitions

寧

1. rather; would rather

   • 旣而悽愴曰：「寧我負人，毋人負我！」遂行。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     既而凄怆曰：「宁我负人，毋人负我！」遂行。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: Pei Songzhi, Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms, circa 5^th century CE

     Jì ér qīchuàng yuē: “Níng wǒ fù rén, wú rén fù wǒ!” Suì xíng. [Pinyin]

     Later, [Cao Cao] sorrowfully said: "I would rather betray others than let others betray me!" Then left.

2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) could there be
3. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) such; like this; so
4. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) unexpectedly; in spite of everything
5. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) modal particle

Compounds

• 不自由毋寧死 / 不自由毋宁死 (bú zìyóu wúnìng sǐ)
• 寧個 / 宁个
• 寧可 / 宁可 (nìngkě)
• 寧折不彎 / 宁折不弯
• 寧教我負天下人，休教天下人負我 / 宁教我负天下人，休教天下人负我 (nìngjiào wǒ fù tiānxià rén, xiū jiào tiānxià rén fù wǒ)
• 寧死不屈 / 宁死不屈 (nìngsǐbùqū)
• 寧死不從 / 宁死不从
• 寧死不辱 / 宁死不辱
• 寧為太平犬，不做亂世人 / 宁为太平犬，不做乱世人 (nìng wéi tàipíng quǎn, bù zuò luànshì rén)
• 寧為玉碎，不為瓦全 / 宁为玉碎，不为瓦全
• 寧為雞口，毋為牛後 / 宁为鸡口，毋为牛后
• 寧為雞頭，不做鳳尾 / 宁为鸡头，不做凤尾 (nìng wéi jītóu, bù zuò fèngwěi)
• 寧當玉碎 / 宁当玉碎
• 寧缺勿濫 / 宁缺勿滥 (nìngquēwùlàn)
• 寧缺毋濫 / 宁缺毋滥 (nìngquēwúlàn)
• 寧肯 / 宁肯 (nìngkěn)
• 寧許 / 宁许
• 寧願 / 宁愿 (nìngyuàn)
• 寧馨 / 宁馨
• 寧馨兒 / 宁馨儿
• 毋寧 / 毋宁 (wúnìng)
• 無寧 / 无宁 (wúnìng)
• 盜泉寧渴 / 盗泉宁渴
• 禮奢寧儉 / 礼奢宁俭
• 禮存寧儉 / 礼存宁俭
• 胡寧 / 胡宁

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): Níng, Nìng (Ning², Ning⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄧㄥˊ, ㄋㄧㄥˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): ning⁴ / ning⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Níng
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄧㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Níng
    • Wade–Giles: Ning²
    • Yale: Níng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Ning
    • Palladius: Нин (Nin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /niŋ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Taiwan, variant in Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: Nìng
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄧㄥˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: Nìng
    • Wade–Giles: Ning⁴
    • Yale: Nìng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Ninq
    • Palladius: Нин (Nin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /niŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ning⁴ / ning⁶
    • Yale: nìhng / nihng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ning⁴ / ning⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: ning⁴ / ning⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nɪŋ²¹/, /nɪŋ²²/

Definitions

寧

1. a surname

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with the surname 甯 (Nìng), which was previously also simplified to 宁.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation borrowed from Mandarin 寧／宁 (níng), matching the pronunciation of Wu 人 (gnin).

Pronunciation

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶gnin

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• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶gnin
    • MiniDict: nyin^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³nyin
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /n̠ʲin²³/

Definitions

寧

1. (Northern Wu, especially Shanghainese, neologism) alternative form of 人

   上海寧／上海宁 [Shanghainese]  ―  ⁶zaon-he₅-gnin₆ [Wugniu]  ―  Shanghainese person

   • 隔壁寧家屋裡頭，交交關關小居頭，阿杜阿膩阿三頭，一直排到阿八頭。 [Shanghainese, trad.]
     隔壁宁家屋里头，交交关关小居头，阿杜阿腻阿三头，一直排到阿八头。 [Shanghainese, simp.]

     From:

     ⁷kaq-piq ⁶gnin-ka ⁷oq-li-deu ¹ciau-ciau-kue-kue ⁵shiau-ciu-deu ⁷aq ⁶du ⁷aq ⁶gni ⁷aq-se-deu ⁷iq-zeq ⁶ba-tau ⁷aq-paq-deu [Wugniu]

     In my neighbor’s place, there are many children; the eldest, the second, the third, all the way to the eighth.

References

• 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• 李如龙 [Li, Ru-long]; 刘福铸 [Liu, Fu-zhu]; 吴华英 [Wu, Hua-ying]; 黄国城 [Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019), “宁（安～）”, in 莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, page 275.