Now Out: Essay 1241 on 孔 (hole) and 5 New-Monics

It makes sense to find our kanji as “hole” in terms such as “nostril,” “porous,” “perforation,” “vent,” and “buttonhole.” What a surprise, though, to discover its connections to Confucius on the one hand and peacocks on the other. By studying peacocks we end up contemplating ancient Indian beliefs, ferns, malachite, and the dining habits of medieval elites from Europe to Japan!