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.