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ChinaDiplomacy

All the world’s a stage for Chinese city that wants to recreate Shakespeare’s hometown

Site honouring three literary masters will also pay homage to ‘China’s Shakespeare’ Tang Xianzu and Spain’s Miguel de Cervantes

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The site in Jiangxi province will include a replica of Shakespeare’s family home in Stratford-upon-Avon
Sarah Zhengin Beijing

Shakespeare is coming to China with a new tourist attraction that recreates the English writer’s hometown near the city where another revered playwright was born.

The new town in Jiangxi province dubbed Sanweng, or “three masters,” will be built near Fuzhou – the birthplace of Tang Xianzu, who is frequently described as China’s Shakespeare.

The venue will also honour their great Spanish contemporary Miguel de Cervantes, who died in 1616 – the same year as Tang and Shakespeare.

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Fuzhou took another step towards making the literary hub a reality on Thursday after signing memorandums of understanding with Shakespeare’s hometown Stratford-upon-Avon and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the British charity that oversees sites across the globe celebrating the playwright, Chinese news portal Thepaper.cn reported.

Tang Xianzu has often been described as China’s Shakespeare. Photo: Handout
Tang Xianzu has often been described as China’s Shakespeare. Photo: Handout
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The agreements will put into motion plans released by the Fuzhou government in September last year, which will be overseen by Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

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