Cheery lines of ancient Chinese poetry printed on boxes of Japanese donations amid the novel coronavirus outbreak has prompted many Chinese to ask: "Are we dumbing down our own language?"

The battle against the COVID-19 virus has been multifaceted, with people in China – and abroad – trying to do their share in the protracted fight. While medics have been working tirelessly to save lives in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, social media users tried to lift the morale of the city's residents, under lockdown since January 23, through positive posts and catchy slogans.

People donating much-needed medical supplies have also coupled their consignments with words of encouragement and strength. But one message has opened the door to a debate in the country over how the Chinese language has evolved over the years.

The note that caused the collective soul-searching in China read: How can you say you lack clothes? Don't worry, I will share mine with you (岂曰无衣，与子同袍). The lines are an excerpt from a poem from Shijing or the Book of Songs, the first collection of ancient Chinese poetry, about a soldier helping his comrade by sharing his armor during a battle.

It's a poignant and fitting message that accompanied a donation of 3,800 protective suits from a Japan-based medical to help frontline medical workers in central China's Hubei Province.

The imagery of the message drew praise from netizens, but it also caused self-doubt. Many couldn't help but wonder whether people outside China have a better appreciation of traditional Chinese culture than people in the country, especially that the current popular Chinese slogans have tended to be more on the simple side.

One such example is "Jiayou, Wuhan! Jiayou, China." Jiayou literally translates to "add oil" but is commonly used as a form of encouragement. Compared with the poem on the Japanese donation, many Chinese netizens wondered if they have lost touch with their traditional identity and whether they're now less smooth-tongued.

"There are no ranks in language. But language differentiates between elegance and vulgarity," Han Han, a Chinese literature professor at Wuhan University told CGTN. "The beauty of the language corresponds to its practicality. The more beautiful the language is, the more popular it will be. That's the reason why 'Though we are oceans apart, a shared moon connects hearts' (山川异域，风月同天) grabbed our hearts at first sight."

"Though we are oceans apart, a shared moon connects hearts" is another expressive message printed on mask boxes donated by a Chinese-language test center from Japan.

So are Chinese not as well spoken as their ancestors? History might hold an answer.