This reminded me of Demosthenes, who talked with pebbles in his mouth and recited verses while running along the seashore over the roar of the waves to overcome a speech impediment. Lacking an ocean (will the spillway at Falls Lake Dam suffice?), the Beltline may work.

As far as studying in China, per se I think you’d have to be able to concentrate in a room full of people who want to pat you on the head. At least that’s how our students (ages 15 and under) were treated.

We were told Confucius wrote a famous essay on “How to Study” but I haven’t read it yet.