What question did this study set out to answer?

This analysis focuses on how The Merchant of Venice was adapted by China Youth Art Theatre to reflect Chinese cultural identity during a period of social change.

May 14, 2026

Shakespeare in the Reconstruction of Cultural Identity: The Modern and Intercultural Adaptation of The Merchant of Venice Presented by China Youth Art Theatre

Key Points

This analysis focuses on how The Merchant of Venice was adapted by China Youth Art Theatre to reflect Chinese cultural identity during a period of social change.
Case study of the CYAT adaptation directed by Zhang Qihong, examining language, acting, and staging.
Analysis of how modern language and humanist themes were employed to resonate with Chinese audiences.
Exploration of the blending of western realism with Chinese traditional theatre elements in the production.
The adaptation successfully connected with audiences through modernized language and themes of mercy, friendship, and love.
Integration of western and Chinese theatre elements created an engaging experience, showcasing a true comedy.
The production reflected significant cultural features of China during its social transformation in the 1980s.

Abstract

Abstract: The Merchant of Venice , as presented by China Youth Art Theatre (CYAT, 1980) and directed by Zhang Qihong, was not only an influential Shakespearean adaptation but also showed the cultural features of China during its social transformation in the early 1980s. This article offers a case study of the production’s language, acting, and staging from the perspective of intercultural performance and modern reconstruction. Specifically, it examines how CYAT rewrote the script using modern language to better connect with Chinese audiences, shaped the characters with humanist spirit to highlight the theme of mercy, friendship, and love, and combined western realism and Chinese traditional theatrical elements in music, scenery, and costumes to create a true “comedy” appealing and comprehensible to the Chinese audiences in the 1980s.

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