This film depicts the life of the 19th-century Portuguese writer Wenceslau De Moraes by means of nine ancient ballads from China. The writer married a Chinese woman after he left his wife and family to go live in Macao. Later, he moved to Japan where he fell in love with a Japanese woman, staying in Japan for the rest of his life. Mixed in with the career and loves of Moraes is the history of Portugal at home and in its colonies.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Luís Miguel CintraWenceslau de Moraes | Wenceslau de Moraes |
| CClara JoanaIsabel / Vénus | Isabel / Vénus |
 Zita DuarteFrancesca | Francesca |
 Jorge Silva MeloPainter | Painter |
 Paulo RochaCamilo Pessanha | Camilo Pessanha |
 Yoshiko MitaO-Yoné | O-Yoné |
| AAtsuko MurakumoKo-Haru | Ko-Haru |
| JJun ToyokawaAsataro | Asataro |
| EErl TenniAtchan | Atchan |
 Wang LaiChinese mother | Chinese mother |