Thanks for the compliment, USMC. And thanks for giving me more food for thought.

One of the reasons I appreciate the Chinese language so much is that it has this amazing component of history and culture all tied into its characters and, as the language is learned, so are those components. Moreover, its hard not to admire the ability of some to use that language so poetically and masterfully in poetry and other writings that capture the essence of nature and the human emotions. But it does have its limitations as addressed by Kenneth Hsu, and the question he raises is definitely one worth pondering.

I'm so glad there are focused individuals such as yourself that post in this forum.

You ask why I make my home in the mountain forest,
and I smile, and am silent,
and even my soul remains quiet:
it lives in the other world
which no one owns.
The peach trees blossom,
The water flows.

Li Po