Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 桑 (sāng) depicts a mulberry tree. Its ancient forms in Liushutong show the evolution from pictographic representations of a tree with multiple branches or leaves to the modern standardized form. The character originally represented the mulberry tree, whose leaves were essential for silk production in ancient China as they are the sole food source for silkworms. This connection made 桑 culturally significant in agricultural and economic contexts. Over time, the character simplified while maintaining its core structure of 'three hands' (又) over 'tree' (木), though some scholars interpret the top as representing mulberry leaves rather than hands. Arrived in Japan: The character 桑 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, along with the introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) and sericulture technology. It was adopted into Japanese as 'kuwa' (mulberry) and used in both native vocabulary and Sino-Japanese compounds, becoming part of standard Japanese writing with the formalization of the kanji system.