Poem In Thousand White Church

[Sonoshee]

I've been playing Shenmue II for about fourteen years, and I just noticed the poem in the Thousand White Church. I took a photo with my phone, here's the poem:

A happy new year
Today is fine
Gone with window
A happy new year
Today is fine
Gone with window
Refining the vegetables
Refining the vegetables

[Sonoshee]

After all this time, the fact that people are still able to find new stuff... it's phenomenal. It just goes to show the level of detail in the Shenmue franchise is and always has been outstanding.

[moon_child]

After all this time, the fact that people are still able to find new stuff... it's phenomenal. It just goes to show the level of detail in the Shenmue franchise is and always has been outstanding.

It's so strange that despite having a cutscene in the church, it never occurred to me to go back and explore inside the room. The attention to detail (no matter how strange the poem) is my favorite thing about this game .

[Yokosuka]

I don't remember you could actually explore the church, even after the Xiuying cutscene. O_o

[BlueMue]

A lot of people seem to miss that you can just go there whenever you want. You can also go on the balcony through a door one floor higher. Not much to see there but still cool.

Another intesting fact about this area is that they censored the statue. In the Japanese version it's holding a baby, likely portraying Mary and Jesus.

[ShenGCH]

A happy new year
Today is fine
Gone with window
A happy new year
Today is fine
Gone with window
Refining the vegetables
Refining the vegetables

?!

I'm guessing "gone with window" is somehow referring to winter passing (with 'window' erroneously being used in place of 'winter'), and "refining the vegetables" is referring to spring coming in.

[TwiceFriedRice]

Are you sure it doesn't say "refusing the vegetables"?

[Caralho das 5]

Is this some kind of meta-joke? Were they aware of the infamous vegetables scene and its kitsch morality and appeal so they made this 'poem' as a joke?

[moon_child]

Are you sure it doesn't say "refusing the vegetables"?

It very well could be, but it's pretty blurry on my tv screen.

[BlueMue]

"Refusing the vegetables" would be a good slogan for Ryo, with his carrot problems and everything.

[strider16]

Just logged to say that the first time I saw that was yesterday, and was surprised someone said the same so few days ago. I just finished shenmue II once before, in burned discs, and few years ago I got original pal discs. I didn't even remembered lots of things, and surely hadn't returned to the church. Funny verses.

[shenmue852]

it's probably filler that they didn't put much time into. 90% of the text found in the in-game environments are in Kanji, and they probably thought hey it's a church so English text fits better, and nobody at the time knew enough English to write an actual poem and it wasn't worth the effort anyway, since it wasn't likely that many people would read it.

either that or they weren't comfortable with quoting actual religious scripture in the game.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Its not a church guys!!!!!!!

Its more of a chapel, small congregation room, as a church will have a foyer, smaller rooms littered throughout and confessionals, etc.

Being that this is an orphanage, it is most-likely a convent, as it is run by Catholic nuns (the fact that Xiuying grew up Catholic makes her THAT much more awesome lol). At the convent I stayed at in Rome, when touring Italy (MUCH cheaper than a hotel and just as good with amenities), they had a prayer/congregation room exactly like this, with a balcony and set up in the same manner; dev. team did a great job with the details.

I've always gone back to explore, everytime I've played, because when I see representaton of my religion (I'm not the super devout type, that pushes it on others and stuff, but I embrace Catholicism's teachings and morals, plus enjoy going to mass lol) in something I love, I want to take it all in. The balcony ha snothing going on, but its great to go up and see the further depth the game has.

I think its funny that they took Jesus out of Mary's arms, but its still BLATANTLY OBVIOUS that its Mary lol.

[zacharyrosco]

I think it says Refusing the vegetables.
As when ryo didn't want to eat his carrots in Shenmue I

[Elevensixty]

We have to confirm if its "refining" or "refusing"!