Experience Shakespeare in China

Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Shakespeare’s New Place will be re-created in China under an exclusive Co-operation Agreement signed on 28 September 2018 by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Fuzhou Culture and Tourism In-vestment Company Ltd.

Shakespeare Birthplace [File Photo: IC]

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust will provide historical and contemporary data for the design and construction of the original houses, together with expert guidance on traditional building methods and materials, and support for exhibition content and presentation. 

Shakespeare’s Birthplace has been conserved since 1847, when the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust was founded.  However, Shakespeare’s adult home at New Place has been lost to the UK since 1702.  It’s recreation in China will be informed by the Trust’s archaeological exploration of the site (2009-2016) which produced an architectural model of the house that Shakespeare knew.

San Weng, (or Three Masters in English) will celebrate three great literary fig-ures of East and West – Shakespeare, Cervantes, and Tang Xianzu, the region’s own renowned playwright.  It will also feature a ‘Stratford-upon-Avon’ quarter, styled on the Tudor architecture of the real market town in England.  The new town is expected to open in 2020.

Peter Kyle, Chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust said: 

“By providing our knowledge and expertise to help the Fuzhou team to create an authentic spirit of place, we will enable more of our ongoing work here in the UK to conserve, sustain and share the extraordinary Shakespeare legacy in our care.  

“Millions of people who might never have the opportunity to visit our global Shakespeare centre in Stratford-upon-Avon will now have a chance to enrich their connection with Shakespeare in China.”

Philippa Rawlinson said: “The agreement follows two years of detailed consultation and reflects the shared commitment of both partners to ensuring that the replica houses will be as true to the originals as possible, rooted in the built heritage, and internationally-significant collections which make the Shakespeare family homes one of China’s favourite destinations in the UK. 

“This exciting venture will create new opportunities to help more people get up close and personal with Shakespeare and a new centre for cultural and artistic exchanges.”

Nestled among the green hills, clear waters and hot springs of Linchuan Dis-trict, San Weng will cover a total area of 220 acres, encompassing a theatre park, tourism and leisure zones.  Shakespeare, Cervantes and Tang Xianzu were contemporaries of their age (coincidentally they all died in 1616), though they never met.  As well as the Stratford quarter, there will be a Spanish Alcala quarter and an ancient Chinese village.   Construction is underway and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust team will visit the site on 29 September.