A joint British-Chinese exhibition opens at the National Library of China (NLC) in Beijing on April 21.
As part of a cultural exchange program between the UK's national library and Chinese partner institutions, the Shakespeare to Sherlock: Treasures of the British Library exhibition features a range of the greatest treasures of English literature, including early editions of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Charles Dickens' manuscript for Nicholas Nickleby.
British playwright William Shakespeare / Website of British Library Photo
The manuscripts will be displayed alongside items from the National Library of China, including translations, adaptations and critical responses showcasing the long and productive dialogue between English and Chinese literature and culture.
The manuscripts also involve classics via film and TV adaptations, such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes tale The Adventure of the Missing Three Quarter and Ian Fleming's James Bond story The Living Daylights.
Interior of British Library /British Museum Photo
Roly Keating, Chief Executive of the British Library, said: "One of the British Library's core purposes is to work with international partners to advance knowledge and mutual understanding."
"The manuscripts and early editions included in Shakespeare to Sherlock: Treasures of the British Library are among the most iconic in English and indeed world literature, and we are delighted to be working with the National Library of China to share them with people in China for the first time ever," Keating added.
An overview of National Library of China /CFP Photo
The exhibition runs from April 21 to June 21. A website specifically designed for Chinese audiences will be launched when the exhibition opens.
Based on the Library's hugely successful Discovering Literature resource, the Chinese language site will feature over 200 digitized items and more than 60 interpretive essays focusing on iconic authors and works from the British Library's collections.
Many of the essays at www.britishlibrary.cn will be original material commissioned from Chinese writers. The Library has also launched a WeChat channel to reach as much of the Chinese public as possible.
The British Library is the national library of the UK, and is one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities, and offers unparalleled access to world's largest and most comprehensive research collection.
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