The Hexi Chapter of Where Winds Meet (Sixteen Sounds of Yan Yun) by 不系舟
The soundtrack is Yu Pan(玉盘 jade plate). In ancient China, the moon was often compared to a jade plate, a poetic image frequently used in classical poetry. The most famous example comes from Li Bai's lines, translated by Xu Yuanchong: "Before my bed a pool of light—Is it hoarfrost upon the ground? Eyes raised, I see the moon so bright; Head bent, in homesickness I m drowned."(床前明月光，疑是地上霜；举头望明月，低头思故乡。chuáng qián míng yuè guāng，yí shì dì shàng shuāng。jǔ tóu wàng míng yuè，dī tóu sī gù xiāng。) Here, the moon stands as a symbol of home and native land.
The dialogue at the beginning and the end of the video:
"Look! There's a white jade plate in the sky."
"That's the moon."
"Uncle Jiang, why are you always looking at the moon?"
"Because it's my hometown."
"Oh... so it's your hometown."
Hexi河西 is a historical-geographical term, lit."west of the Yellow River", referring to what is known today as the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province. Its major cities include Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang. Serving as a vital link between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, it was the golden route of the ancient Silk Road.
The Western Regions (Xiyu西域) was a historical Chinese term referring to the vast areas west of the Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass. It primarily covered what is now Xinjiang and parts of Central Asia, extending as far as West Asia, South Asia, and beyond. Throughout history, it served as a crucial hub for trade, cultural exchange, and military interaction between the Central Plains and Western civilizations, such as Persia, India, and Rome.
Whoever controlled Hexi held the gateway to the Western Regions. This strategic position allowed them to cut off the frequently invading Xiongnu cavalry, secure the frontier, protect trade caravans traveling between the West and the Central Plains, and foster prosperous commercial exchange.
Throughout history, Hexi witnessed countless stories of joy and sorrow. As a crucial crossroads between East and West, it became a melting pot where Central Plains culture, Western Regions influences, and Buddhist art converged, leaving behind magnificent legacies like the Mogao Caves.
More than just a geographical name, Hexi carries profound historical and cultural weight. It stands as a symbol of the frontier, epic journeys, bustling trade, and the enduring dialogue between civilizations.
When Chinese players got to the Hexi chapter—after going through Liu Sanyang's story, finishing the Well-Digger's quest, and surviving the whole Anxi Army arc—players were crying so hard. Not sure how well the English localization handled it, but the Chinese screenwriters and the voice actors are so amazing.
In light of the no.1 trending topic on this site, I'd like to inform youse that Kitty Kendall, one of the survivors who bravely spoke out against Neil Gaiman and accused him of rape in 2025, has said here and here that if you are looking to support her and other survivors, you can make a donation to OurVOICE (the counselling service Kendall herself used) or your local rape crisis centre. If you can't make a donation, you can help to ensure people do not forget what Kendall and other survivors have gone through and continue to go through as they pursue legal action, and that Gaiman has already spent a lot of money in the attempt to sue these women for speaking out.
Two flowers from the same stem, never separated by life and death.
Embraced as one, in soul and dream. Where all Ghosts meet their end, only love endures.
This piece is a collaborative work between Love and Deepspace and the renowned Chinese ink artist Zhang Yu.
Behind the Poster Design:
Nether night descends. Two hearts entwined.
Zhang Yu is a renowned, contemporary Chinese ink artist whose work centers on ink on paper. In addition to her independent practice, her artistic activities also encompass exhibitions and a wide range of collaborations.
She has been an art director for numerous films including Deep Sea. She has also created opening sequences, posters, and key concept art for numerous well-known film and television projects, including The Wandering Earth, Ne Zha 2, A Writer's Odyssey 2, White Snake, Ponyo, and The Story of Ming Lan.
01 | Where did the initial inspiration for this poster come from?
When I received the invitation to create the poster, the first thing that came to mind was the inseparable bond between Miss Hunter and Caleb. It's a relationship so profound that it transcends the boundaries of life and death. It's not a simple love. It's an indivisible entanglement woven deep within. "We exist within each other. We're indistinguishable from each other."
Bingdi lotuses are the most fitting metaphor, where two flowers grow from the same stem. Although they appear to bloom independently, they are tightly intertwined, bound together by the same fate in life and death. By depicting these lotuses, I infused them with a more dynamic contrast. Caleb's lotus rises upward. More aggressive, it envelops all like a hellish flame to keep Ghosts at bay. Miss Hunter's lotus is submerged in water. Wet and soft, it channels the same nourishment into the roots.
Likewise, Caleb is the Lord who rules the Nether Realm and silences all ghosts. In this relationship, he sets aside his sharp edges for you to reveal a gentle side as he protects and satisfies his deepest, all-consuming love. That's how I perceive the emotional dynamic between you two. There is a mix of domination and submission, possession and utter devotion.
02 | Can you share some of your insights into the image's details?
Details convey emotion. With enigmatic Chinese elements serving as an aesthetic background, every element speaks to the nurturing entanglement of your love.
In the center, Caleb tightly embraces Miss Hunter. The jade beads on his wrist slowly melt and seep into her. They transform into clear dewdrops that eventually fall onto her petals. They are both dewdrops and nameless tears. It's impossible to tell who is crying for whom. This mirrors the silent devotion and protection within this love.
The entire composition is dominated by dark hues to evoke the shadowy Nether Realm teeming with Ghosts. Above, blazing flames burn with the intense, weighty grandeur of Dunhuang murals. Below, however, rest the delicate, melancholic lotuses floating in the water. Dewdrops are fragile yet pure, and they stand as a testament to your love. It's sincere and passionate. Even in the perpetual night, they rush toward each other when all Ghosts have disappeared.
The entanglement is more deeply embedded in the lotuses. The veins are intricately intertwined as if the lives of two people had quietly flowed into one in an embrace. Flesh and blood nourish the petals, and the petals are entangled with the blood. You are each other's sustenance. Bound in life and death, you sustain each other and remain inseparable. This is precisely the profound meaning between two flowers from the same stem. Two lotuses aren't blooming separately. Rather, they're inseparable lives, forever intertwined.
03 | We heard you experimented with several different compositions during the creative process. Could you share some of them with us?
Sure. I've drawn several drafts based on the theme of "mirrored fates."
Draft One: Hands Entwined
Two hands are tightly clasped together, and a lotus blooms from the palms of two figures. It conveys the depth of their emotions via a hand gesture.
Draft Two: The Moon and Sun Splendidly Shine
Caleb is the gloomy moon, and Miss Hunter is the warm sun. Separated by yin and yang, they gaze at each other and speak of their love.
Draft Three: Bingdi Lotus's Intertwined Overlap
The stem of the two lotuses grow from the same starting point. One goes up and the other goes down. Their petals intertwine and overlap. This also served as the draft for the final poster.
In the version that was ultimately chosen, all elements converge into a single moment. Unable to be separated—nor do they need to be—two lives are entangled throughout countless lifetimes.
A Message From Zhang Yu
Dear Miss Hunter:
Hello. While creating this poster, I was deeply moved several times by your destined love—two fates mirrored and bound together.
I think the "most touching love" in this world is like yours. You, driven by instincts, unwaveringly rush toward each other regardless of what fate brings.
The bond between you is more than just love. It's as if you've been an important part of each other's lives for a long time.
May this love transcend the Nether Realm and remain as passionate as ever. I hope it can endure for all eternity.
May bingdi lotus bloom forever, and may lovers be finally reunited.
Social media offers a forum for individuals to share experiences after being wronged by an individual, an organization, a group, or a govern
this is a really good article about how belief in the just world hypothesis (the idea that people get what they deserve) leads to apathy and negative reactions on social media toward victims to whom justice cannot be easily restored
I think we should all be aware of the just world hypothesis and how it colors our own behaviors when we see a victim's story
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yousharknotpass
