The beauty of literature lies in its ability to transcend time and place.

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

人们在遇到别人蛮横无理的时候，往往怒火中烧，可是忽然转眼一想自己也有过错，不知不觉怒气就消失得干干净净。由此看来孟子所强调的自我反省，实在是息事宁人、涵养正气、受益获福、求得身心快乐的最好办法，千万不要当作一般道学家的套话来看待。

The role of the artist is to ask questions, not to give answers.

——2006年在西雅图市演讲