What's so hard to see in, for example:

// Initialize serial interface
// Using TIMER 1 to Generate Baud Rates
// Oscillator frequency = 11.059 MHz

TMOD = 0x20; // 0010 0000: C/T = 0, Mode = 2
TH1  = 0xFD; 
TR1  = 1;
SCON = 0x52; // 0101 0010

As opposed to:

; Initialize serial interface
; Using TIMER 1 to Generate Baud Rates
; Oscillator frequency = 11.059 MHz
   MOV   TMOD,#00100000B   ;C/T = 0, Mode = 2
   MOV   TH1,#0FDH
   SETB  TR1
   MOV   SCON,#01010010B

It's all just a matter of, "load this value into that SFR" - it's just as clear in 'C' as it is in Assembler!