A writer has splashed out on expensive surgery to make him look like his all-time hero William Shakespeare.

Yiyi decided to get work done on his nose, eyes and lips, and fans say he bears an uncanny resemblance to the poet from Stratford-upon-Avon, but his decision has shocked some in his home country and sparked debate on the internet.

According to Mirror Online, Committed Yiyi had a total of 10 operations over several months including eye reconstruction, eyelid surgery, nose surgery and a face tuck.

Shakespeare's famously bald head is something Yiyi is as yet unable to emulate, but he has now grown his hair much longer to aid the resemblance.

The accomplished writer decided to save for the operations three years ago, putting aside his book royalties to pay.

As well as his looks, Yiyi shares part of his life story with the Romeo and Juliet supremo.

He was born in humble surroundings in the Hinan Province in Central China but went on to become a well-regarded writer.

When Shakespeare was young, his father was declared bankrupt, forcing the young writer to stand on his own two feet and forget about going to university.

Yiyi also grew up in a debt-ridden family, circumstances which were down to the failure of his father's business.

He failed to gain a university diploma because he failed the college enrolment examination and struggled financially for years, but his hard work paid off when he became one of the most successful writers in China along with other young writers like Han Han, Tangjiasanshao and Guo Jingming.

Shakespeare's poetry and plays mean he is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.