莎士比亚剧作引入中国始于20世纪初。期间全国各地都有各种形式的改编。据历史记载,中国人演莎士比亚的戏剧最早在清末光绪二十八年(1902年),演出地点在上海圣约翰书院(今上海政法学院),演出剧目是《威尼斯商人》。此剧由书院外语系毕业班演出,这是中国人第一次演出莎剧。英国戏剧家威廉·道儿拜在其撰写的《中国戏剧史》中还载有这次演出的剧照。除话剧外,莎士比亚戏曲化是莎士比亚剧作引入中国的一个亮点。据 Shakespeare introduced to China began in the early 20th century. There are various forms of adaptation throughout the country. According to historical records, the Chinese play Shakespeare drama first in the late Qing Guangxu Twenty-eight years (1902), performed at Shanghai St. John’s College (now Shanghai Institute of Politics and Law), the show is the “Venice businessman.” This drama by the college graduation class of foreign languages, this is the first Chinese show Shakespeare. William Draper, the British dramatist, still has the stills of the show in his book The History of Chinese Theater. In addition to drama, Shakespeare drama is Shakespeare introduced to China a bright spot. according to