Golden jubilee of the bard's May night

Students of Nanjing University's English department perform The Merchant of Venice at the school. [Photo by Song Wenwei/China Daily]

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In the past few years, although the troupe's performances have reflected the changing times, Shakespeare has remained both universal and relevant.

"What attracts me most about Shakespeare is that his works reveal some fundamental emotions commonly understood by all human beings," says Hua Chaorong, a graduate student from Nanjing University's English department. He presents a modern adaption of Twelfth Night onstage.

Since 2005 Hong Kong has been holding China's annual competition of Shakespeare's plays for students who study English literature as a major subject in colleges and universities. Nanjing University makes it to the contest finals almost every year.

"Our country's English teaching in college is becoming more and more pragmatic," says Zhu Gang, dean of the School of Foreign Studies at the university.

But he feels that young Chinese people studying English literature need to know Shakespeare better to nurture their "humanitarian spirit". "Without understanding his work, an English major student will not be qualified."