Today, Phoenix Publishing & Media Group, Nanjing University and the University of Birmingham together Hamlet and Henry V, the advanced reader's copies for the Chinese version of RSC Shakespeare, and announced the official commencement of editing and publishing work for Modern Critics of Shakespeare, as well as preparation and organization work for YLYK Cup Students' Shakespeare (China) Festival.

Shakespeare's plays have been loved by Chinese readers for generations. To meet the demands of readers and publish a new collection of Shakespeare plays for general audiences, the Shakespeare Centre in China, in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), initiated a new translation plan for Shakespeare's works. Through performance-guided discussion among translators, directors and actors, Shakespeare's classics are translated in a vivid Chinese context, conveying the original style of Shakespeare's language while introducing a modern and lively style for readers. A total of 24 plays will be published at the 400th anniversary of the first folio edition in 2023, and the first official editions of Hamlet and Henry V will be published in early 2020. Relying on the academic strength of Nanjing University and the University of Birmingham and the translation and publishing strength of Yilin Press, the centre also launched Modern Critics of Shakespeare, a book collection intended to translate and introduce leading international research results on Shakespeare into China, and major works of domestic scholars on Shakespeare abroad. The featured book collection will gather, translate and publish leading international and domestic research results on Shakespeare. Today, Liang Yong, chairman of Phoenix Publishing & Media Group, and Professor Sir David Eastwood, vice-chancellor and principal of the University of Birmingham, jointly unveiled preview editions for Hamlet and Henry V.

"This collection of research represents a landmark for the millions of Shakespeare aficionados in China and I am delighted that such a milestone Chinese-language publication is the product of our partnership in Nanjing," Professor Sir David Eastwood said.

"The University of Birmingham is renowned for its expertise in English literature, particularly around the life and works of William Shakespeare, and is globally acclaimed for its Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon.

"As a global civic university, it is tremendously exciting to work with Phoenix Publishing & Media Group and Nanjing University to give Chinese people greater access to Shakespeare, whilst developing new publishing opportunities that will benefit students across China."

"The first Chinese versions of RSC Shakespeare plays aim to present Chinese readers with a vivid and modern Shakespeare." Mr. Liang Yong, Chairman of Phoenix Publishing and Media Group, said at the event. "Yilin Press is known for its international vision in the publishing of literature and social sciences. Phoenix Group is proud to forge partnerships with two global leading universities, take advantage of each party's competitive edges, and serve Chinese readers with better publications."

The University of Birmingham entered the three-way partnership with Phoenix Publishing & Media Group and Nanjing University and created the Shakespeare Centre in China in November 2016. It is expected to become China's most influential publishing platform for Shakespeare works, and it the first of its kind in the country.

As one of the top publishing organizations in China, Phoenix Publishing & Media Group is hugely respected by scholars and readers. The company ranked 12th in the 2019 "Global 50" World Ranking of the Publishing Industry published October 3rd, 2019. Its subsidiary Yilin Press, a national first-class publishing house with a high-quality publishing system incorporating literature, humanities and social sciences, English education and periodicals, is one of the most influential world literature publishing brands in China, boasting extensive cultural influence and market appeal.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), located next to the Shakespeare Institute of the University of Birmingham, also visited Nanjing to study and evaluate the latest translated version of Shakespeare's works.

The centre has attracted wide attention from the academic circle and numerous alumni of Nanjing University due to its many achievements. Among the alumni, Xia Peng, founder of YLYK, decided to donate 5 million yuan to the centre to sponsor the annual YLYK Cup Students' Shakespeare (China) Festival, where the world's greatest writer and humanist will be presented before Chinese readers and audiences in a brand new light.

President of Phoenix Publishing and Media Inc., Mr. She Jiangtao, is confident in future projects. "We are delighted to be the publishing arm in this three-way collaboration with two internationally renowned cultural institutes. The Chinese version of RSC Shakespeare will definitely be the version that best suits the reading habits of modern readers."

Professor Zhou Xian, dean of the Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanjing University, pointed out that, as an international and high-level interdisciplinary research platform, the institute is in perfect position to nurture and motivate research teams like the Shakespeare Centre. Shakespeare and Space Studies, the first volume of Modern Critics of Shakespeare, fully showcases the advantages and characteristics of interdisciplinary research. The multinational university-enterprise cooperation model is a useful exploration for the creation of world-class universities and top-class enterprises.

Professor Cong Cong, co-director of Shakespeare (China) Centre, is excited about the upcoming festival. She expressed hoped that the festival can help more Chinese students to appreciate the beauty and cultural influence of Shakespeare's works. 

Professor Michael Dobson, director of Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham said: "A huge expansion of interest in the study and performance of the plays in China has been one of the most positive developments in Shakespeare’s world-wide reception in the twenty-first century. The team in Stratford is very excited about working with Phoenix Publishing & Media Group and Nanjing University to publish this landmark collection of research - helping us to bring the delights of Shakespeare to an even wider audience."