The nature of alchemy.

I suppose that is true, that much info and the fact that it is so complex would cause a problem.

Basic statement: Alchemy is science. People with high alchemy potential are like scientists, they can improve themselves by reading up more or by experimentation. Mastang's teacher taught him through demonstration (why else would he need a teacher?), while Scar's brother learned through books since no one else would have known alchemy among his people since its forbidden.

Maybe the "alchemist powers" are just like the force in "star wars". Everyone has it, but only a few have the hability to manipulate it..
And as every inherited skill, it has to be practiced so you get better at it. That would be why for some people alchemists are monsters, but to others they're only scientists.

and I have not the littlest clue about the relation between "Father" and Hohemheim xD...

hohenheim explained by using the 'gate'. he said that each person has a gate inside of him, and that each time a transmutation occurs the gate opens. this means that (for asmestris alchemy at least) the gate prvides power, possibly by the spirit thingies inside, maybe a bit like how (manga) ed saw the gate and wrath (?) was telling him that he had paid the toll to look at it...or does that sound retarded?
so alchemy can be explained using the analogy that: the gate is a big battery and transmutaion is a machine.
from what i've gleaned, ming (?) alchemy uses something like the lifestream from final fantasy as their battery.

Actually how I understood their conversation, Ming was talking about how they channel the energy along a path (like making a river bank) to reach its destination, where the western phillosophy is to take the energy inherint in the ground below them and use that. The diffrence is where the energy lies, and therefore how it can be used. I still don't know if either is nessisarily stronger then the other, but my thoughts are that the Westren method is physicly stronger, where the other is actually more flexible. Mind you the outcome is usually the same (it doesn't take any more power doing something in ome way versus the other) its just that the distance is what is affected.

I think that Ed and Al could gain something from the eastern alchemy besides a way of regaining their bodies: they will improve the power of their alchemy on long range and on big scale (remember the child's intervention is Central City).

^I agree too. It will help them resist "Father" so much better. But I think the alchemy they use will come into play in bringing back Al's body because thats the type of alchemy that lost his body.

that's true the chinese alchemy will help the elric brothers to resist father much more better but until we know the difference between both alchemies we can't assume that chinese alchemy can't bring back ed and al's bodies.

It seems that Ling is in cahoots with Father now though. I personally don't think he's truly become one of Father's subordinates. I think he is just pretending so that he can get back for losing his servant's arm.

^ What...

There is sort of the obvious problem of him not controlling his own body at the moment, he never said that he was father's subordinate, just that he accepted becoming a homunculus.