September 30, 2023 - Gazing at the Moon Thinking of Afar (望月懷遠）by Zhang JiuLing (張九齡)

[neat basin]

This week's text is the poem Gazing at the Moon Thinking of Afar (T: 望月懷遠／S: 望月怀远) by the Tang Dynasty poet Zhang JiuLing 张九龄

Traditional Chinese

海上生明月，天涯共此時。
情人怨遙夜，竟夕起相思。
滅燭憐光滿，披衣覺露滋。
不堪盈手贈，還寢夢佳期。

Simplified Chinese
海上生明月，天涯共此时。
情人怨遥夜，竟夕起相思。
灭烛怜光满，披衣觉露滋。
不堪盈手赠，还寝梦佳期。

English
Upon the sea, the bright moon thrives. At the world's end, distant sights share the same sky.
From afar, lovers lament. When darkness falls, thoughts take flight.
Candle snuffed, the moonlight still glows. Robes draped, sensing the damp dew.
Unable to bestow, a handful of light. Back to slumber, craving your side.

Translation source here: https://www.linguist.top/translation230512/

Feel free to write in any style you want and post it below!

[dim kelp]

dang julian predicted the challenge

[winter spade]

Lmfao

[feral warren]

nah vertical is still better

[versed sand]

yall are great what the hell

[visual ledge]

Lmao

[neat basin]

wait.. i didn't notice this

[formal maple]

My Chinese handwriting looks really ugly so here's it in English!! 🤭

[winter spade]

[neat basin]

write it in chinese and send it here anyway, people here are super helpful and you can learn a lot

[formal maple]

It looks chunky thats the thing 😔

[neat basin]

that's alright, some of us have horrible handwriting and yet we try

[formal maple]

🫶

[neat basin]

imma send mine when i write a good one and you'll know what i mean

[sour trellis]

this makes me want to give it a go...my writing look like a broken typewriter

[neat basin]

do it! we're all learning one way or another anyway so might as well

[sour trellis]

people here are so good...i'll have a go later...what can go wrong!

[neat basin]

stroke order, or wrong strokes, perhaps

[sour trellis]

ok, you're right..the list can be long...

[neat basin]

don't be disheartened though, the people above who write really well could have some great advice on how to write better the next time

[winter spade]

Reminder that vertical writing goes right to left

[neat basin]

why is it that modern vertical writing goes from left to right

[winter spade]

It shouldnt

[neat basin]

But it is and it frustrates me

[feral warren]

it frustrates me too when I read it the proper way and get confused

[heady prawn]

lmao the diff between the pen (tried to write neatly and slowly; kinda looks not great) and the pencil (just trying to write inside the squares and proportionate)