Romeo and Juliet is one of the Shakespearean productions that will feature in the program.  Photos provided to China Daily

The "Bard of Avon" will be fondly remembered by China's literary circles and the general public through the year as a series of events to mark his 400th death anniversary begins.

William Shakespeare's plays and poems, and musicals and movies related to him will all feature in the British Council initiative, Shakespeare Lives, which was launched in Beijing on Thursday.

Born in the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon, he was one of the greatest storytellers of all time.

Carma Elliot, director of British Council China and also an official at the British embassy, says the yearlong program aims to celebrate the playwright's influence on culture, education and society.

"Shakespeare is one of the world's greatest cultural icons. Though he died 400 years ago, his legacy is enduring, thrilling audiences across the globe," says Elliot.

A highlight of Shakespeare Lives will be the Royal Shakespeare Company's tour of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, from Feb 18 to March 13, with acclaimed productions of plays like Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II and Henry V.

The National Theater of China will also present for Chinese audiences, National Theater Live, a project by the National Theatre of Great Britain under which plays are broadcast live worldwide from a London stage.

Among Shakespearean plays to be shown this way, Othello starring Adrian Lester, King Lear starring Simon Russell Beale and Hamlet starring Benedict Cumberbatch can be watched in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Suzhou and Xi'an, from January to May.

In addition, a tour of films in China showcasing some of the best adaptations of Shakespeare's works will be curated by the British Film Institute.