Opening the Simplified Chinese version was a wonderful surprise, even, one might say, shocking! I was somewhat amazed at how you expressed these elements and aesthetics so well. It gave me a sense of a calmness based on objects. Slightly different from mono no aware, it is a solemn and tranquil emotion. There is no one, only the past, and memories. The UI and music are very expressive.Chinese translation is also excellent, capturing the delicate atmosphere and profound perspective. There are a very few sentences in the translation that feel slightly awkward, but it is harmless and does not hinder understanding. I noticed right from the beginning that the scene descriptions echo the dynamic and static qualities in classical Chinese aesthetics. I really enjoy this opening exploration. The guqin tuning upon entering the room connects various events. Each note of gong, shang, jue, zhi, yu can evoke different emotions, which is why they are generally used in different scenes. ‘Gong’ represents orthodoxy and ritual ceremonies, so the scene is ranked... This is incredible. During my university studies, I came across this, and the feelings conveyed by sounds from different cultural backgrounds are truly fascinating. I’m still so amazed, wow, you actually saw this! At ‘Yu,’ I noticed a technique frequently used in Chinese poetry: linking the meaning of objects with personal experiences. For example, plum blossoms, bells... As for ‘Shang’ and ‘Zhi,’ besides elegance, I see a more ordinary aspect of life... Wow. I absolutely love this work. It is meticulous, bringing broad sorrow into every small object in life. Here, the one who has passed, is it ‘him’ or ‘me’? Undoubtedly, his death took away a large part of my life. Or perhaps, ‘I’ also died here. This kind of sorrow cannot be felt all at once, but it lingers in every moment. This may be tangential, but I am now guessing that you might hold a PhD in aesthetics? Also，here’s a point: death-related events are generally not noticed or approached by locals. Generally speaking, apart from the sadness, they also involve more ritualistic and social aspects. Typically, such occasions are rather lively, leaving little time to accommodate grief. Yet your knowledge and narrative skills truly impress me! This work has made me reflect on many things. Thank you for your creative work!
Thank you so much. I read this several times, and it's the kind of review that makes all the work worth it.
To answer your guess: no PhD, I'm afraid! I only started making games this March. My background is in writing, as an essayist and ghostwriter, and I've had a deep love for Taoism and East Asian traditions for most of my life. I also founded and led a Taoism-inspired reenactment group for ten years. So this game grew out of a very long affection rather than an academic title.
It means a lot that you felt the tones in the rooms, and that you asked whether it's "him" or "me." That question sits at the heart of the whole house.
Thank you also for the note about funerals being lively and ritual-heavy, with little room for grief. That's exactly why this house is so still. A white affair shouldn't be silent, and whether this one is real, a dream, or something in between is a question I'd like to leave with the player.
If you'd be willing to point me to the sentences in the translation that felt awkward, I'd be very grateful. And since you asked earlier about my other games: Chinese translations of Tainted Blood and Rain & Shadows are next on my list.
One last question: would you mind if I quoted part of your review on my website? It would mean a lot.
Thank you for playing, and for reading so closely.
Feel free to quote～so glad to see masterpieces like that，waiting for the next one——also practicing my English reading；； Ohhh，I recommended it to my friends ，and they love it ，too. Its interesting that，to some extent we are motivated——seems that local game industry always finding something mind blooming ，so we trained ourselves to be productive and efficient. Now we just find that delving into culture is beautiful，and we got someone who like it～such a happiness.Nice to communicate with you! It feels very rewarding.
I will send the translation with issues later. I forgot to take a screenshot while playing ..