diff --git a/basegraph.cpp b/basegraph.cpp
index cfdf33e5..842d05cb 100644
--- a/basegraph.cpp
+++ b/basegraph.cpp
@@ -458,13 +458,14 @@ struct fontdata {
   #if CAP_SDLTTF
   TTF_Font* font[max_font_size+1];
   #endif
+  struct basic_textureinfo *finf;
   ~fontdata();
   };
 #endif
 
 EX map<string, fontdata> fontdatas;
 
-EX fontdata *cfont;
+EX fontdata *cfont, *cfont_chinese;
 
 EX fontdata* font_by_name(string fname) {
   auto& fd = fontdatas[fname];
@@ -475,6 +476,7 @@ EX fontdata* font_by_name(string fname) {
     #endif
     for(int i=0; i<=max_glfont_size; i++) fd.glfont[i] = nullptr;
     for(int i=0; i<=max_font_size; i++) fd.font[i] = nullptr;
+    fd.finf = nullptr;
     }
   return &fd;
   }
@@ -1479,8 +1481,11 @@ EX int SDL_Init1(Uint32 flags) {
 
 EX void set_cfont() {
   int f = font_id;
-  if(lang() == 8 && among(f, 0, 1, 2)) f = 3;
+  int fch = f;
+  if(among(f, 0, 1, 2)) fch = 3;
+  if(lang() == 8) f = fch;
   cfont = font_by_name(font_filenames[last_font_id = f]);
+  cfont_chinese = font_by_name(font_filenames[fch]);
   }
 
 EX void init_font() {
diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index afad245a..24e37174 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -1343,6 +1343,7 @@ EX void initConfig() {
 
   param_i(vid.monmode, "monster display mode", DEFAULT_MONMODE);
   param_i(vid.wallmode, "wall display mode", DEFAULT_WALLMODE);
+  param_b(zh_ascii, "chinese_ascii", false)->editable("Chinese ASCII", 'Z');
   param_i(vid.highlightmode, "highlightmode");
 
   param_b(vid.always3, "3D always", false)->switcher = geom3::switch_fpp;
@@ -2513,6 +2514,7 @@ EX void configureInterface() {
 
   add_edit(display_yasc_codes);
   add_edit(vid.orbmode);
+  add_edit(zh_ascii);
 
   dialog::addSelItem(XLAT("draw crosshair"), crosshair_size > 0 ? fts(crosshair_size) : ONOFF(false), 'x');
   dialog::add_action([] () { 
diff --git a/drawing.cpp b/drawing.cpp
index f7a19bcf..5772aa30 100644
--- a/drawing.cpp
+++ b/drawing.cpp
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ struct dqi_string : drawqueueitem {
   int frame;
   /** alignment (0-8-16) */
   int align;
+  /** current font */
+  fontdata *font;
   void draw() override;
   color_t outline_group() override { return 1; }
   };
@@ -2246,6 +2248,7 @@ void dqi_line::draw() {
   }
 
 void dqi_string::draw() {
+  dynamicval<fontdata*> df(cfont, font);
   #if CAP_SVG
   if(svg::in) {
     svg::text(x, y, size, str, frame, color, align);
@@ -2284,6 +2287,13 @@ EX void sortquickqueue() {
     else i++;
   }
 
+EX void clear_curvedata() {
+  if(keep_curvedata) return;
+  curvedata.clear();
+  for(auto& d: fontdatas) if(d.second.finf) d.second.finf->tvertices.clear();
+  curvestart = 0;
+  }
+
 EX void quickqueue() {
   current_display->next_shader_flags = 0;
   spherespecial = 0; 
@@ -2291,11 +2301,7 @@ EX void quickqueue() {
   int siz = isize(ptds);
   for(int i=0; i<siz; i++) ptds[i]->draw();
   ptds.clear();
-  if(!keep_curvedata) {
-    curvedata.clear();
-    finf.tvertices.clear();
-    curvestart = 0;
-    }
+  clear_curvedata();
   }
 
 /* todo */
@@ -2713,11 +2719,7 @@ EX void drawqueue() {
     }
 #endif
 
-  if(!keep_curvedata) {
-    curvedata.clear();
-    finf.tvertices.clear();
-    curvestart = 0;
-    }
+  clear_curvedata();
   
   #if CAP_GL
   GLERR("drawqueue");
@@ -2828,6 +2830,7 @@ EX void queuestr(int x, int y, int shift, int size, string str, color_t col, int
   ptd.size = size;
   ptd.color = darkened(col);
   ptd.frame = frame ? ((poly_outline & ~ 255)+frame) : 0;
+  ptd.font = cfont;
   }
 
 EX void queuecircle(int x, int y, int size, color_t color, PPR prio IS(PPR::CIRCLE), color_t fillcolor IS(0)) {
@@ -2866,8 +2869,6 @@ EX void queuestr(const shiftpoint& h, int size, const string& chr, color_t col,
     queuestr(xc, yc, sc, size, chr, col, frame);
   }
 
-EX basic_textureinfo finf;
-
 #if CAP_GL
 #if HDR
 using pointfunction = function<hyperpoint(ld, ld)>;
@@ -2879,6 +2880,9 @@ EX hyperpoint default_pointfunction(ld x, ld y) {
 
 #if !CAP_EXTFONT
 EX void write_in_space(const shiftmatrix& V, int fsize, double size, const string& s, color_t col, int frame IS(0), int align IS(8), PPR prio IS(PPR::TEXT), pointfunction pf IS(default_pointfunction)) {
+  if(!cfont->finf) cfont->finf = new basic_textureinfo;
+  auto& finf = *cfont->finf;
+
   init_glfont(fsize);
   glfont_t& f(*(cfont->glfont[fsize]));
   finf.texture_id = f.texture;
diff --git a/graph.cpp b/graph.cpp
index a53b8ddf..0def196a 100644
--- a/graph.cpp
+++ b/graph.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ EX int detaillevel = 0;
 
 EX bool first_cell_to_draw = true;
 
+EX bool zh_ascii = false;
+
 EX bool in_perspective() {
   return models::is_perspective(pconf.model);
   }
@@ -852,16 +854,35 @@ EX color_t orb_inner_color(eItem it) {
   return iinf[it].color;
   }
 
-EX void draw_ascii(const shiftmatrix& V, char glyph, color_t col, ld size) {
-  string s = s0 + glyph;
+EX void draw_ascii(const shiftmatrix& V, const string& s, color_t col, ld size, ld size2) {
   int id = isize(ptds);
   if(WDIM == 2 && GDIM == 3)
     queuestrn(V * lzpush(cgi.FLOOR - cgi.scalefactor * size / 4), size * mapfontscale / 100, s, darkenedby(col, darken), 0);
   else 
-    queuestrn(V, mapfontscale / 100, s, darkenedby(col, darken), GDIM == 3 ? 0 : 2);
+    queuestrn(V, size2 * mapfontscale / 100, s, darkenedby(col, darken), GDIM == 3 ? 0 : 2);
   while(id < isize(ptds)) ptds[id++]->prio = PPR::MONSTER_BODY;
   }
 
+EX void draw_ascii(const shiftmatrix& V, char glyph, color_t col, ld size) {
+  draw_ascii(V, s0 + glyph, col, size, 1);
+  }
+
+EX void draw_ascii_or_zh(const shiftmatrix& V, char glyph, const string& name, color_t col, ld size, ld zh_size) {
+#if CAP_TRANS
+  if(zh_ascii) {
+    auto p = XLAT1_acc(name, 8);
+    if(p) {
+      string chinese = p;
+      chinese.resize(utfsize(chinese[0]));
+      dynamicval<fontdata*> df(cfont, cfont_chinese);
+      draw_ascii(V, chinese, col, size, zh_size);
+      return;
+      }
+    }
+#endif
+  draw_ascii(V, glyph, col, size);
+  }
+
 EX void queue_goal_text(shiftpoint P1, ld sizemul, const string& s, color_t color) {
   #if CAP_VR
   if(vrhr::enabled) {
@@ -904,7 +925,7 @@ EX bool drawItemType(eItem it, cell *c, const shiftmatrix& V, color_t icol, int
   if(WDIM == 3 && c == centerover && in_perspective() && hdist0(tC0(V)) < cgi.orbsize * 0.25) return false;
 
   if(!mmitem || !CAP_SHAPES) {
-    draw_ascii(V, iinf[it].glyph, icol, 1);
+    draw_ascii_or_zh(V, iinf[it].glyph, iinf[it].name, icol, 1, 0.5);
     return true;
     }  
     
@@ -1273,7 +1294,7 @@ EX bool drawItemType(eItem it, cell *c, const shiftmatrix& V, color_t icol, int
     }
 
   else {
-    draw_ascii(V, xch, icol, 1);
+    draw_ascii_or_zh(V, xch, iinf[it].name, icol, 1, 0.5);
     }
 
   return true;
@@ -1292,7 +1313,7 @@ void humanoid_eyes(const shiftmatrix& V, color_t ecol, color_t hcol = skincolor)
 
 EX void drawTerraWarrior(const shiftmatrix& V, int t, int hp, double footphase) {
   if(!mmmon) {
-    draw_ascii(V, 'T', gradient(0x202020, 0xFFFFFF, 0, t, 6), 1.5);
+    draw_ascii_or_zh(V, 'T', minf[moTerraWarrior].name, gradient(0x202020, 0xFFFFFF, 0, t, 6), 1.5, 1);
     return;
     }
   ShadowV(V, cgi.shPBody);
@@ -1652,7 +1673,7 @@ EX bool drawMonsterType(eMonster m, cell *where, const shiftmatrix& V1, color_t
   #endif
 
   if(!mmmon || !CAP_SHAPES) {
-    draw_ascii(V1, xch, asciicol, 1.5);
+    draw_ascii_or_zh(V1, xch, minf[m].name, asciicol, 1.5, 1);
     return true;
     }
 
@@ -2653,7 +2674,7 @@ EX bool drawMonsterType(eMonster m, cell *where, const shiftmatrix& V1, color_t
     }
 
   else
-    draw_ascii(V1, minf[m].glyph, asciicol, 1.5);
+    draw_ascii_or_zh(V1, minf[m].glyph, minf[m].name, asciicol, 1.5, 1);
   
   return true;
 #endif
diff --git a/hud.cpp b/hud.cpp
index d94be59a..a2d4cd7a 100644
--- a/hud.cpp
+++ b/hud.cpp
@@ -261,7 +261,23 @@ bool displayglyph(int cx, int cy, int buttonsize, char glyph, color_t color, int
     sortquickqueue();
     quickqueue();
     }
-  else if(glyph == '*')
+  else if(zh_ascii) {
+    const char* zh;
+
+    if(isMonster) {
+      eMonster m = eMonster(id - ittypes);
+      zh = XLAT1_acc(minf[m].name, 8);
+      }
+    else {
+      eItem it = eItem(id);
+      zh = XLAT1_acc(iinf[it].name, 8);
+      }
+
+    if(!zh) goto non_zh;
+    dynamicval<fontdata*> df(cfont, cfont_chinese);
+    displaystr(cx + buttonsize/2, cy, 0, glsize, zh, darkenedby(color, b?0:1), 0);
+    }
+  else non_zh: if(glyph == '*')
     displaychr(cx + buttonsize/2, cy+buttonsize/4, 0, glsize*3/2, glyph, darkenedby(color, b?0:1));
   else
     displaychr(cx + buttonsize/2, cy, 0, glsize, glyph, darkenedby(color, b?0:1));
diff --git a/language.cpp b/language.cpp
index b8076114..5fe0712e 100644
--- a/language.cpp
+++ b/language.cpp
@@ -390,6 +390,21 @@ EX string XLAT(string x, stringpar p1, stringpar p2, stringpar p3, stringpar p4,
   return x;
   }
 
+EX const char* XLAT1_to(string x, int language) {
+#if CAP_TRANS
+  const fullnoun *N = findInHashTable(x, all_nouns);
+  if(N) return N->n[7].nom;
+#endif
+  return nullptr;
+  }
+
+EX const char* XLAT1_acc(string x, int language) {
+#if CAP_TRANS
+  const fullnoun *N = findInHashTable(x, all_nouns);
+  if(N) return N->n[7].acc;
+#endif
+  return nullptr;
+  }
 
 EX string XLATN(string x) { 
 #if CAP_TRANS