Italian students put on a display of Chinese legacies

ROME — Phoenix-themed dances, recitations of ancient Chinese classics, and dubbed screenings of the animated film Ne Zha were among the offerings recently at a school in Rome. On April 8, dozens of Italian students at a boarding school demonstrated their passion for Chinese language and culture through performances.

The event, Celebrating the Spring, was hosted by the Rome Convitto Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele II international high school, which has science-related courses in Chinese and a long-term study-in-China program. The annual gala is a platform for students to demonstrate their progress in Chinese, and express their talent.

Rosso Sgroi, a fifth-year high school student, played the Monkey King in a short play. His fluent Chinese and lively performance earned him hearty laughter and applause from the audience. He said that he is deeply fond of Wuxia culture (martial hero fiction), as well as classical Chinese literature.