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Page 6 - 成語故事5005
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    Furthermore, another linguist, Professor Xian Li, has pointed out the
                   limit of the simplified characters: “simplified radicals cannot be
                   deduced and applied to all,” “symbols replacing radicals have no
                   established rules,” “independently simplified radicals cannot be
                   deduced,” “the use of homophonic characters in a different contexts
                   complicates the whole character system,” “exceptions always found
                   whenever simplification rules are applied,” and “arbitrary simplifica-
                   tions destroy the logic of Chinese characters.”

                   The intricate implications of learning simplified Chinese characters
                   result in an inevitable imbroglio of academic research and linguistic
                   application, jeopardizing related sciences such as paleography, histori-
                   cal geography and historiography.

                   Due to current practical need and global trend, the proportion of
                   traditional characters users has considerably declined compared to that
                   of simplified characters users. Yet learning traditional characters is
                   nevertheless meaningful, important and necessary, if taken into account
                   the following perspectives: pedagogical efficiency, cultural creativity,
                   better understanding of Chinese traditional culture and history, cultural
                   links to East Asian civilizations, involvement in a global cultural
                   outlook, and an aesthetic appreciation of inherent beauty of Chinese
                   characters.

                   It is our hope that by consolidating the learning of traditional charac-
                   ters, while providing simultaneously a comparison table scoping
                   simplified characters, we can pragmatically provide useful teaching
                   methodology to the overseas communities. By encouraging the study of
                   traditional characters as a vector, and then comparing them with
                   simplified characters in textbooks, we are convinced that this approach
                   will create the ideal environment for the transmission of Chinese
                   culture abroad, where both types of characters are currently prevalent.

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