Abstract: In the 1960s, Chinese scholar’s writing of Shakespeare’s biography, similar to other fields of Shakespeare studies in China, was crippled by serious "Leftism" and the generalization of politics. Under the circumstances, various writing strategies were adopted to facilitate the publication of Shakespeare’s biography by the perseverant Chinese scholar. This paper probes into the class-labeling depiction of the hero of Zhao Zhongyuan’s Shakespeare and the political and cultural factors resulting in the depiction. Furthermore, by scrutinizing camouflage alias, deliberate incomprehensive portrayal, and afterthought-like repudiation, three writing strategies applied in Shakespeare, the paper unveils how Zhao succeeded in introducing Shakespeare to Chinese readers by seemingly yielding to outside pressure.

Key words: Zhao Zhongyuan; Shakespeare; writing strategies

Shao Xueping is Lecturer in School of English and International Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. Having earned her Ph.D from Peking University, she has authored Aberrant Mothers, Powerful Mothers, and Virtuous Mothers: On the Mother Figures in Shakespeare’s Plays (2009) and several articles on Renaissance English Drama.