Languages are powerful, sometimes more than one can imagine. Most recently an ancient saying "山川异域，风月同天" has deeply touched the Chinese people, which means even though the landscapes(风景)are different, we share the wind and moon under the same sky.
The saying was printed on packages(包裹)of masks sent to Wuhan, Hubei Province from Japan when the novel coronavirus broke out in China. On the packages, there were also el Province Chinese and Japanese national flags, as well as encouraging Chinese characters "加油! 中国". It's not only the friendship behind the masks, but also the special beauty of the ancient Chinese language.
Although it is written in ancient Chinese language, the saying is from a Japanese prince. The ancient saying first appeared on the frocks(袈裟)which were sent to the monks in the Chinese Tang dynasty.
The Chinese monk Jianzhen was touched by these Chinese characters at that time and decided to start his journey to Japan. He tried six times in 11 years before finally arriving in the country and then helped a lot with the development of Japan Jianzhen was known as the messenger(信使)of culture between China and Japan. He was remembered by the people of both countries.
Now once again, the Chinese are deeply touched by the meaning in the ancient saying: understanding, sharing, and support. It feels like walking into the house from outdoors in the freezing winter and having a cup or hot tea. The warmth is inside.
