Bridging cultures, connecting worlds

In 2019, I began my Chinese language journey at the Confucius Institute in Rome. At the time, I already spoke several European languages, and I wanted a new challenge — something truly different that would expand my worldview. Chinese fitted that bill perfectly. From the very first lesson, I found it simultaneously daunting and exciting. The intricacy of the characters, the melodic nature of the tones, and the unique sentence structures captivated me.

However, my interest soon branched out far beyond linguistics. As I delved deeper, I discovered that learning the language was just the gateway to a vast cultural heritage stretching back thousands of years. Eager to understand the literary heart of China, I began with Tang Dynasty (618-907) poetry, renowned for its concise elegance and emotive power. Poems by Li Bai and Du Fu introduced me to China's poetic tradition. Intrigued by its roots, I then turned to earlier works like the Shi Jing (The Book of Songs), an anthology of poems often attributed as one of the earliest reflections of the Chinese soul. Later, I explored the Chu Ci (Songs of Chu, or Poetry of the South), further broadening my understanding of regional literary expressions.

My classes soon multiplied, as I took courses on Chinese history, literature, philosophy and art history. The vibrant range of the country's philosophical heritage — Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism — provided rich insight into core values and practices. In each new topic, I discovered a kaleidoscope of perspectives on life, governance, art and morality. Yet it was Chinese art history, especially scroll painting, that truly fired my imagination. The graceful brush-strokes, the interplay of ink and water, and the visual storytelling contained within those scrolls made me see art in an entirely new light.