April 23 is traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death of the world's greatest English writer and dramatist William Shakespeare, and was therefore designated by the United Nations (UN) as English Language Day.

In the late 1580s or early 1590s, young Shakespeare left his hometown Stratford-upon-Avon to London alone to chase his theater dream. Although he had never been to a university nor received professional training in drama writing, Shakespeare created 38 dramas handed down throughout history, including "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet," with his extraordinary imagination and poetic language.

More than 400 years have passed and Shakespeare's works have spanned time, place and transcended different cultures to be studied, appreciated and loved by people all over the world.

The World Shakespeare Congress is held every five years; Shakespeare festivals have been held across the world; Shakespeare's screenplays are among the best-sellers and are the must-read for those studying British culture and literature, drama and art performance.

"I think he is a man for the whole world. Shakespeare lives," said Chinese director and playwright Stan Lai.

Lai said he loves a lot of Shakespeare's moments, especially the Prospero's monologue at the end of the Act 5 in "The Tempest:"

"Now my charms are all o'erthrown,

And what strength I have's mine own,

Which is most faint."

"In that moment, he has left the magic world he has created and come down to Earth. His way of thinking touches me deeply," said Lai.

Hugh Bonneville, who played the leading role of Robert Crawley in TV drama "Downton Abbey," also shared his favorite line from "Hamlet:"

"If it be now, 'tis not to come. 

If it be not to come, it will be now. 

If it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is all."

"Shakespeare's 'Othello' is the first drama I saw in a theater and I was greatly influenced by it. From then on, I fell in love with theater and fell in love with stage," said Yu Rongjun, award-winning playwright and deputy president of theater company SMG Live.

In terms of Shakespeare's influence, Yu was not alone. Many artists attracted by Shakespeare, and they not only play Shakespeare's dramas but also have their own unique understandings of the dramas.

In the free online course "Exploring English: Shakespeare" introduced by the British Council in 2016, actors and experts from around the world explore the universal themes Shakespeare addressed through five of his most popular dramas, their lasting influence on the English language, as well as talk about modern songs and films that have been influenced by them.

By looking at the life and works of Shakespeare, we not only seek the secret of his enduring popularity but also commemorate him for his contribution to human culture.

(Cover image: A portrait of William Shakespeare and his screenplays. /VCG)