Big5, GB and Hz codes

Find out if your software can read Chinese

In this page, we take one short poem and present it in several different Chinese coding schemes: Big5, GB and Hz. In addition, The poem is given as a GIF file, and an Enblish translation is given in ASCII.
The well-known LiBai's Poem Thinking at Night is coded using each of the coding schemes.
All browsers can read the GIF and ASCII codes, but your software may not be able to read GB, Big5, or Hz coded passages. Adding the capability to read Chinese is neither difficult nor costly. Big5 is recommended for China the Beautiful. GB is recommended if you prefer Jiangti (simplified) font. Hz is most popular in reading newsgroups, but is less useful in WWW.

GIF file


This is written in Fanti (traditional). The calligraphic style is called "ka". This particular font is a true-type font made by Dyna Co.
All browsers can read this.

Big5 code


Big5 is a code for Fanti. It is a 8-bit, double-byte code. Since it is a code for Fanti, this should look like the gif file above, except for the expected difference in styles between any two fonts. The font used by the browser is probably not as good as the True Type font used in the gif file.
You can read this only if your software can decode Big5.
           
	   

      玡る
      好琌流
      羭繷辨る
      繷珿秏

			フ

GB code


The same poem is now coded in GB (Simplified) code. GB is the computer code for Jiangti, which is diferent to the Fanti code in the writing of some of the words. Thus, in this file, some of the words are written differently from the gif file above. In Jiangti, many Chinese words have been changed so they require fewer strokes to write. Hence the name "simplified". This is readable only if your software can decode GB. 

	   夜　思

      床　前　明　月　光，
      疑　是　地　上　霜。
      举　头　望　明　月，
      低　头　思　故　乡。

			李　白

Hz code


The same poem is coded in Hz. This is a 7-bit form of GB, designed specifically for email purposes. The character set is identical to that of GB. It is displayed in the same Simplified form.
But, if you substitute the font file with a Fanti font, you will obtain automatic tranformation to Fanti. You can read this only if your software can decode Hz.
	   ~{R9!!K<~} ~{42!!G0!!Cw!!TB!!9b#,~} ~{RI!!JG!!5X!!IO!!K*!#~} ~{>Y!!M7!!M{!!Cw!!TB#,~}
      ~{5M!!M7!!K


English Translation


My English translation of the poem coded in ASCII

All browser can read this.


	       Moonlight

       Shining on the bedside, the moonlight bright,
       Like frost on the ground, snowy and white.
       Lifting my head I gaze at the moon,
       Bowing down I wonder, will I return home soon?

				tr. MLP


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