Taiming and Reality

Over the years the Hu clan had scattered, with some members going to the southern and eastern parts of the island and resettling there. [...]
"Ah-San's and Ah-Si's world is disappearing," Taiming mused, captivated by the objective vision he suddenly had of the lives around him. Licentiate Peng was trying to escape reality , whereas Grandfather was trying to transcend reality. Wu Wenqing was overwhelmed by wrestling with reality. And Taiming -he was tired of chasing reality. What spurred him on was youthful ambition, hopes and dreams, but come to think of it, didn't it sometimes seem meaningless? He almost envied his grandfather's detachment.

(Wu Zhuoliu, Orphan of Asia, p. 36. On returning to Taiwan after his stay in Japan)