MyluckwithShakespearesprangupfrommycontactwithProfessorHelenVendler,theinternationallywell-knowngoldmedalprofessoroflyricsandShakespeareatHarvardUniversity.InMayof1997,IwroteheralettertellingthatIwasdoingJohnKeatsforwhomIknewshehadwrittena.bookentitledTheOdesofJohnKeatsanddemandedthatIreadforaPh.D.degreeinEnglishLiteratureunderherdirection,possiblyupontheobscurenameofthecollegewhereIwasthenteaching,sheplainlysaidofasuretythatHarvardwouldnotadmitmeandattheendofherreplyshethrewmeonesentence,"ReadShakespeareandyouwillgeteverything."　　LaterIgottoknowthattheyearshewrotebacktomewasthetimewhenherpivotalworkonShakespeare,TheArtofShakespearesSonnets,waspublished.AndthenIforgotaboutthisHarvardmatterandwenttoPekingUniversity,underthedirectionofProfessorHuJialuan,whoworksonEdmundSpenserandRenaissancepoetry,formyPh.D.study.WhenIwastomakeachoicebetweenmysweetlypromisedpoetSpenserandShakespeare,analternativewasrecommendedbymyroommate,thenowprofessoroflinguistics,Dr.PengXuanweiatBeijingNormalUniversity,Ifinallychosethelatter,onaverysuperficialbasisthatSpenserhasnotenoughresourcestomakeuseof,whichwas,ofcourse,alaymanjokefromtodayspointofview.