A qualified intellectual

Today my Indian housemate asked me a question about a Chinese traodional ink painting on the wall. It's a very common topic in China, about a sheperd riding a buffalo, with the other one lying aside. The two big eyes of the buffalo are painted with a block of black ink. There are a few traoditional Chinese characters written in the corner of the whole picture. She asked what it said. I was a bit embarrased because I do not really understand traoditional Chinese much I struggled with sweat but still failed. But I said it was saying about something about the idyllic peaceful farming life, which was coveted a great deal by some well educated but disappointed poets or elite Chines book-lovers. She said "interesting. So why the buffalos are dead? Do the Chinese love riding a dead buffalo?" I said, " No, it's not dead. No Chinese love riding dead buffalos. I guess they are sleeping in the shade of the tree." She said, "No, there is no tree in the picture not even a blade of grass, plus there is no sun there." I said,"Because the picture is too small and the painter can't find enough space for such things. but you can imagine anything happening there." she agreed with me at last. I fell like a real intelletual tonight, for I can even teach something I know nothing about to the foreingers, right?