Four faces, four theatres: a Venetian mask, a Japanese nō mask, a Korean Hahoe mask and a Peking Opera mask.
People travel too, and some leave a mark so deep that their name becomes a bridge. In this episode you will meet the Italians adopted by Japan, Korea and China, and the Japanese, Koreans and Chinese who won over Italia: explorers, painters, singers, film directors, champions.
This is the third of five episodes: words, names, faces, flavors, stories. At the end there is the voice game, and this time you read people’s names. Careful: in Japan, Korea and China the family name comes first; in Italia it comes last.
Two Italians in China
Marco Polo left Venezia in 1271 and came back twenty-four years later with a book, “Il Milione”, that made Europe dream. In China he is 马可·波罗 (Mǎkě Bōluó), and his name is learnt at school; the programme that every year brings thousands of Chinese students to Italian universities is called, precisely, “Marco Polo”. And he was the first to tell Europeans about a faraway island called Cipangu: Japan.
Marco Polo in the mosaic of Palazzo Tursi, Genova, and Matteo Ricci with Xu Guangqi in an engraving from 1667 (public domain).
Three centuries later came Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit from Macerata. He learnt Chinese so well that he took a Chinese name, 利玛窦 (Lì Mǎdòu), and in 1607, with the scholar 徐光启 (Xú Guāngqǐ), he translated Euclid. That needed a new word, and they chose 几何 (jǐhé): in Italian, “geometria”. The Japanese use it too, 幾何学 (kikagaku), and so do the Koreans, 기하학 (gihahak). His great world map, printed in Beijing in 1602, reached Korea and Japan and was copied for centuries.
Matteo Ricci’s world map, 坤舆万国全图, Beijing, 1602 (public domain).
The emperor’s painter
In 1715 a young Jesuit from Milano, Giuseppe Castiglione, arrived in Beijing. He stayed in China for more than fifty years as court painter to three emperors, under the name 郎世宁 (Láng Shìníng), and invented a style that joined European perspective to the Chinese brush. His horses and portraits are among the treasures of the Palace Museum, in the Forbidden City.
Giuseppe Castiglione, “One Hundred Horses” (detail), 1728 (public domain).
Miyazaki and Italia
Few directors love Italia as much as 宮崎駿 (Miyazaki Hayao). His studio is named after a wind we call Ghibli. In “Porco Rosso” (1992) an Italian pilot flies over the Adriatic, and his seaplane is rebuilt, in Milano, by a seventeen-year-old girl. And in his first feature film, “The Castle of Cagliostro” (1979), Lupin races along in a yellow Cinquecento. In Korea he is 미야자키 하야오 (Miyajaki Hayao), in China 宫崎骏 (Gōngqí Jùn), and his films are deeply loved in all three countries.
Leonardo, da Vinci
In China they call him 达·芬奇 (Dá Fēnqí), in Japan ダ・ヴィンチ (Da Vinchi), in Korea 다빈치 (Dabinchi): in short, everyone calls him “da Vinci”. But da Vinci is not a surname: it means “from Vinci”, the Tuscan village where he was born in 1452. It’s like calling someone “da Milano”. In Italia he is Leonardo, full stop. And his most famous painting, for us, is “la Gioconda” before it is “Monna Lisa”.
Leonardo’s Gioconda, in the Louvre (public domain).
Korea sings in Italian
In 1983 a girl from Seoul arrived in Roma to study singing at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. Three years later, in Trieste, she made her debut as Gilda in Verdi’s “Rigoletto”. She was 조수미 (Jo Sumi), Sumi Jo to the world, and Herbert von Karajan said hers was a voice from heaven. Since then a great many Korean singers have come to study in Italia. And a Korean conductor, 정명훈 (Jeong Myeonghun), Myung-whun Chung to the world, was chosen in 2025 as music director of La Scala in Milano: the first Asian in the theatre’s history.
Sumi Jo, and Myung-whun Chung on the podium. Photos: Korea.net, CC BY-SA 2.0; CC BY 2.5.
Puccini, between Nagasaki and Beijing
Giacomo Puccini never went to Asia, but he set two operas there. “Madama Butterfly” (1904) takes place in Nagasaki, and it contains real Japanese melodies. The soprano 三浦環 (Miura Tamaki) sang it all over the world more than two thousand times, and in Nagasaki her statue looks out over the harbour next to Puccini’s.
“Turandot” is set in Beijing, and Puccini put in a Chinese folk song, 茉莉花 (Mòlìhuā), “jasmine flower”. In 1998 the director 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu), after staging it in Firenze, brought it into the Forbidden City, and the programme that takes Chinese students to Italian conservatories and art academies is called “Turandot”. Everyone knows its most famous aria: “Nessun dorma”, which ends with “All’alba vincerò!”, “at dawn I will win!”.
The original posters for “Madama Butterfly” (1904) and “Turandot” (1926), by Leopoldo Metlicovitz, and in the middle Tamaki Miura as Butterfly (public domain).
Italian stars in China
In China, Italia also has faces from the cinema. Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Malèna”, with Monica Bellucci, is called 西西里的美丽传说 (Xīxīlǐ de měilì chuánshuō), “the beautiful legend of Sicilia”, and it is one of the Italian films Chinese audiences love most. And in 1986 Luciano Pavarotti sang in Beijing: since then “’O sole mio” has been known in Chinese as 我的太阳 (Wǒ de tàiyáng), “my sun”.
Four theatres, four treasures
The four masks on the cover come from four theatres, and UNESCO has listed them all among the treasures of humanity: Italian opera singing, Japanese nō and kabuki, Korean 판소리 (pansori), a storyteller who sings alone with a single drum, and Peking Opera, 京剧 (jīngjù), which in China is called “the quintessence of the nation”. Its greatest performer, 梅兰芳 (Méi Lánfāng), took Peking Opera on tour to Japan in 1919, and is remembered as a bridge between the two countries. We have Verdi, they have Mei Lanfang: the same passion, different make-up.
Mei Lanfang as Yang Guifei (1928, public domain) and a Peking Opera performer today. Photo: Mike Ball, CC BY 2.0.
Voices and notes
Few things bring Asia and Italia together like music. Ennio Morricone wrote the score of “Nuovo Cinema Paradiso”: in Tokyo the film ran in Ginza for forty weeks, in Korea it has come back to cinemas several times, and in China it is among the films audiences love most. “’O sole mio”, in napoletano, the language of Napoli, is sung in China as 我的太阳 (Wǒ de tàiyáng), “my sun”. And then there is Andrea Bocelli: in Asia almost everyone knows “Con te partirò”, often by its English title, “Time to Say Goodbye”. In Italian it says something lovelier: not “it’s time to say goodbye”, but “I will leave with you”.
Italians everyone knows
Every country has its favourite Italian. In Japan it is Girolamo Panzetta, known there as パンツェッタ・ジローラモ (Pantsetta Jirōramo): he came from Campania, made his TV debut on NHK’s Italian course and became the face of Italian elegance. In Korea it is Alberto Mondi, 알베르토 몬디 (Albereuto Mondi), from Venezia, who became famous with the show 비정상회담 (Bijeongsang hoedam) and has been telling Koreans about Italia, in Korean, ever since. In China, for a generation that grew up with Italian football on TV, it is Roberto Baggio, 巴乔 (Bāqiáo), whom the fans called 忧郁王子 (yōuyù wángzǐ), “the melancholy prince”.
Girolamo Panzetta, Alberto Mondi and Roberto Baggio. Photos: Seraphsephirot, CC BY-SA 3.0; SJ, CC BY 4.0; kanegen, CC BY 2.0.
And how do they see us? Erikottero talks about the Italian habits that surprise the Japanese:
And from Korea, the Italians of Seoul Mafia wonder how Italians get along over there:
The lions of Venezia
Asian cinema found the world at an Italian festival. In 1951 “Rashōmon” by 黒澤明 (Kurosawa Akira) won the Golden Lion, the Leone d’oro, at the Venezia film festival, and the West discovered Japanese cinema. 张艺谋 (Zhāng Yìmóu) has won the Leone d’oro twice, in 1992 and 1999. Korea’s 이창동 (I Changdong) received the Leone d’argento for best director in 2002 with “Oasis”, the film that earned 문소리 (Mun Sori) the Marcello Mastroianni award; and at the 1993 art Biennale the Leone d’oro went to 백남준 (Baek Namjun) as well, the father of video art. And Miyazaki, who had given his studio an Italian name, received the Leone d’oro alla carriera in 2005.
Hayao Miyazaki, Zhang Yimou and Lee Chang-dong. Photos: Thomas Schulz, CC BY-SA 2.0; 中国新闻网, CC BY 3.0; Marlene Landu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Three Nobels
The Nobel Prize in Literature has spoken Japanese, Chinese and Korean: 川端康成 (Kawabata Yasunari) in 1968, 莫言 (Mò Yán) in 2012 and 한강 (Han Gang) in 2024, the first Asian woman to win it. Three writers you can also read in Italian, one per country, on an equal footing. Valentina wrote about Han Kang: Greek Lessons by Han Kang.
On the field
Four champions, four paths. Valentino Rossi won four of his world titles on a Japanese motorbike, a Yamaha, and after their first win together, in 2004, he kissed it in the middle of the track. 中田英寿 (Nakata Hidetoshi) came from Japan and in 2001 won the league title, the scudetto, with Roma. 김민재 (Gim Minjae), from Korea, was a pillar of the Napoli side that won the scudetto in 2023 after thirty-three years. And 朱婷 (Zhū Tíng), the star of Chinese volleyball, played in the Italian league, for Scandicci and Conegliano.
Valentino Rossi, Hidetoshi Nakata, Kim Min-jae and Zhu Ting. Photos: Artem Lepesin, CC BY 4.0; Neogeolegend, CC BY-SA 3.0; beIN SPORTS Türkiye, CC BY 3.0; Jeffrey Ng, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The game: comment with your voice
Below is a list of words, each one written in Italian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. Open the comments, tap the microphone and read a word out loud, or even ten.
If you are Japanese, Korean or Chinese, read the Italian words: the Italians will tell you how it went.
If you are Italian, try the Japanese, Korean and Chinese words: this time they will correct you.
And if you like, try your neighbours’ words too: a Japanese reading Korean, a Korean reading Chinese, a Chinese reading Japanese.
Making mistakes is the fun part: you can delete and try again as many times as you like. Here we comment with our voice only. To join in you just need to sign up to Yuujou, and it’s free.
How to read the foreign words
Next to each foreign word you’ll find how to say it. Italian is read exactly as it is written, so a handful of rules is enough to read any word, even one you have never seen. Italian words come with an easy pronunciation guide, the stressed syllable in capitals: cappuccino, kahp-pooch-CHEE-noh.
Japanese (Hepburn system): consonants as in English, vowels short and clear as in Italian. A line over a vowel (ā, ū, ō) means it is long: hold it twice as long. A u between two consonants is barely heard.
Korean (Revised Romanization, official in Korea since 2000): eo is an open “aw”, eu is an “oo” said with spread lips, ae is like the “e” in “bed”; kk, tt, pp, ss, jj are tense consonants: strong, with no puff of air.
Chinese (pinyin, China’s official system): x is close to “sh”, q to “ch” with a puff of air, j to a light “j”; zh, ch, sh are said with the tongue curled back; z sounds like “dz”, c like “ts” with a puff of air. The marks over the vowels are the tones: in Chinese the same syllable changes meaning with the melody of the voice. ā high and level, á rising, ǎ falling then rising, à sharply falling.
The list
🇮🇹 From Italia
Marco Polo MAHR-koh POH-loh · マルコ・ポーロ Maruko Pōro · 마르코 폴로 Mareuko Pollo · 马可·波罗 Mǎkě Bōluó
Matteo Ricci maht-TEH-oh REECH-chee · マテオ・リッチ Mateo Ricchi · 마테오 리치 Mateo Richi · 利玛窦 Lì Mǎdòu
Giuseppe Castiglione joo-SEHP-peh kah-stee-LYOH-neh · ジュゼッペ・カスティリオーネ Juzeppe Kasutirione · 주세페 카스틸리오네 Jusepe Kaseutillione · 郎世宁 Láng Shìníng
Leonardo da Vinci leh-oh-NAHR-doh dah VEEN-chee · レオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチ Reonarudo da Vinchi · 레오나르도 다빈치 Reonareudo Dabinchi · 达·芬奇 Dá Fēnqí
Galileo Galilei gah-lee-LEH-oh gah-lee-LEH-ee · ガリレオ・ガリレイ Garireo Garirei · 갈릴레오 갈릴레이 Gallilleo Gallillei · 伽利略 Jiālìlüè
Dante Alighieri DAHN-teh ah-lee-GYEH-ree · ダンテ・アリギエーリ Dante Arigiēri · 단테 알리기에리 Dante Alligieri · 但丁 Dàndīng
Giacomo Puccini JAH-koh-moh pooch-CHEE-nee · ジャコモ・プッチーニ Jakomo Pucchīni · 자코모 푸치니 Jakomo Puchini · 贾科莫·普契尼 Jiǎkēmò Pǔqìní
Luciano Pavarotti loo-CHAH-noh pah-vah-ROHT-tee · ルチアーノ・パヴァロッティ Ruchiāno Pavarotti · 루치아노 파바로티 Ruchiano Pabaroti · 卢奇亚诺·帕瓦罗蒂 Lúqíyànuò Pàwǎluódì
Ennio Morricone EHN-nyoh mohr-ree-KOH-neh · エンニオ・モリコーネ Ennio Morikōne · 엔니오 모리코네 Ennio Morikone · 埃尼奥·莫里康内 Āiní’ào Mòlǐkāngnèi
Andrea Bocelli ahn-DREH-ah boh-CHEHL-lee · アンドレア・ボチェッリ Andorea Bocherri · 안드레아 보첼리 Andeurea Bochelli · 安德烈·波切利 Āndéliè Bōqièlì
Federico Fellini feh-deh-REE-koh fehl-LEE-nee · フェデリコ・フェリーニ Federiko Ferīni · 페데리코 펠리니 Pederiko Pellini · 费德里科·费里尼 Fèidélǐkē Fèilǐní
Monica Bellucci MOH-nee-kah behl-LOOCH-chee · モニカ・ベルッチ Monika Berucchi · 모니카 벨루치 Monika Belluchi · 莫妮卡·贝鲁奇 Mònīkǎ Bèilǔqí
Roberto Baggio roh-BEHR-toh BAHJ-joh · ロベルト・バッジョ Roberuto Bajjo · 로베르토 바조 Robereuto Bajo · 罗伯特·巴乔 Luóbótè Bāqiáo
Valentino Rossi vah-lehn-TEE-noh ROHS-see · バレンティーノ・ロッシ Barentīno Rosshi · 발렌티노 로시 Ballentino Rosi · 瓦伦蒂诺·罗西 Wǎlúndìnuò Luóxī
🇯🇵 From Japan
宮崎駿 Miyazaki Hayao · Hayao Miyazaki · 미야자키 하야오 Miyajaki Hayao · 宫崎骏 Gōngqí Jùn
黒澤明 Kurosawa Akira · Akira Kurosawa · 구로사와 아키라 Gurosawa Akira · 黑泽明 Hēizé Míng
川端康成 Kawabata Yasunari · Yasunari Kawabata · 가와바타 야스나리 Gawabata Yaseunari · 川端康成 Chuānduān Kāngchéng
中田英寿 Nakata Hidetoshi · Hidetoshi Nakata · 나카타 히데토시 Nakata Hidetosi · 中田英寿 Zhōngtián Yīngshòu
三浦環 Miura Tamaki · Tamaki Miura · 미우라 다마키 Miura Damaki · 三浦环 Sānpǔ Huán
久石譲 Hisaishi Jō · Joe Hisaishi · 히사이시 조 Hisaisi Jo · 久石让 Jiǔshí Ràng
永井豪 Nagai Gō · Go Nagai · 나가이 고 Nagai Go · 永井豪 Yǒngjǐng Háo
🇰🇷 From Korea
조수미 Jo Sumi · Sumi Jo · チョ・スミ Cho Sumi · 曹秀美 Cáo Xiùměi
정명훈 Jeong Myeonghun · Myung-whun Chung · チョン・ミョンフン Chon Myonfun · 郑明勋 Zhèng Míngxūn
한강 Han Gang · Han Kang · ハン・ガン Han Gan · 韩江 Hán Jiāng
백남준 Baek Namjun · Nam June Paik · ナム・ジュン・パイク Namu Jun Paiku · 白南准 Bái Nánzhǔn
이창동 I Changdong · Lee Chang-dong · イ・チャンドン I Chandon · 李沧东 Lǐ Cāngdōng
문소리 Mun Sori · Moon So-ri · ムン・ソリ Mun Sori · 文素利 Wén Sùlì
김민재 Gim Minjae · Kim Min-jae · キム・ミンジェ Kimu Minje · 金玟哉 Jīn Mínzāi
🇨🇳 From China
徐光启 Xú Guāngqǐ · Xu Guangqi · 徐光啓 Jo Kōkei · 서광계 Seo Gwanggye
梅兰芳 Méi Lánfāng · Mei Lanfang · 梅蘭芳 Mei Ranfan · 메이란팡 Meiranpang
成龙 Chéng Lóng · Jackie Chan · ジャッキー・チェン Jakkī Chen · 성룡 Seongnyong
张艺谋 Zhāng Yìmóu · Zhang Yimou · チャン・イーモウ Chan Īmō · 장이머우 Jang Imeou
莫言 Mò Yán · Mo Yan · 莫言 Mo Ien · 모옌 Moyen
刘慈欣 Liú Cíxīn · Liu Cixin · 劉慈欣 Ryū Jikin · 류츠신 Ryucheusin
周杰伦 Zhōu Jiélún · Jay Chou · ジェイ・チョウ Jei Chō · 주걸륜 Jugeollyun
朱婷 Zhū Tíng · Zhu Ting · シュ・テイ Shu Tei · 주팅 Juting
The same list, as a sheet to print or keep on your phone:
In this series you will only find words and names that bring us together. A few famous names are missing, and that is on purpose: for us, respect comes first.
The five episodes: Words on the Move · Names on the Move · Faces on the Move · Flavors on the Move · Stories on the Move
Sources. Marco Polo, “Il Milione” · Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi, «几何原本» (1607) · Studio Ghibli · Accademia di Santa Cecilia and Teatro alla Scala · city of Nagasaki, Glover Garden · Mostra internazionale d’arte cinematografica di Venezia, list of awards · NHK · Lega Serie A and Lega Pallavolo Serie A Femminile · AI images: cover; photos from Wikimedia Commons with the licences shown in the captions; video from the artist’s official channel. The trademarks mentioned belong to their rightful owners: nobody sponsors us.
Written by AI, in collaboration with Alain.
