diff --git a/exampleSite/content/posts/theme-documentation-echarts-shortcode/index.en.md b/exampleSite/content/posts/theme-documentation-echarts-shortcode/index.en.md
index 40d285193..41f2788ca 100644
--- a/exampleSite/content/posts/theme-documentation-echarts-shortcode/index.en.md
+++ b/exampleSite/content/posts/theme-documentation-echarts-shortcode/index.en.md
@@ -33,7 +33,31 @@ The basic chart types ECharts supports include [line series](https://echarts.apa
 
 Just insert your ECharts option in `JSON`/`YAML`/`TOML` format in the `echarts` shortcode and that’s it.
 
-Example `echarts` input in `JSON` format:
+You have 2 ways to use this shortcode:
+
+**Direct embedding**
+: You can either [embed]({{< ref "#embedded" >}}) the definition of the chart in the body of the shortcode itself, as TOML.
+
+**Import a JS module**
+: Or you can [reference]({{< ref "#referenced" >}}) the path to a separate `.js` file which contains the JS specification of the chart, thereby supporting echarts with full JavaScript.
+
+You can also mix shortcodes of both types within the same page.
+
+## Embedded echart {#embedded}
+
+This is the simplest form of use. You simply embed the echart specification inside of the body of the `echarts` shortcode, in `JSON`, `YAML` or `TOML` format.
+
+Pros:
+
+- Simple to use and maintain.
+- Content of the chart visible in your page source itself.
+
+Cons:
+
+- Does not support JavaScript logic in chart.
+- Does not allow re-using charts.
+
+Here's an example `echarts` input in `JSON` format:
 
 ```json
 {{</* echarts */>}}
@@ -403,7 +427,38 @@ The rendered output looks like this:
 }
 {{< /echarts >}}
 
-The `echarts` shortcode has also the following named parameters:
+## Referenced echart {#referenced}
+
+In this way of use, your `echarts` shortcode references a JS file which contains the specification of the chart.
+
+Pros:
+
+- Your echart supports any JavaScript code, including logic to load or transform data.
+- Enables copy/paste prototyping from [echarts' online builder](https://echarts.apache.org/en/builder.html), without conversion to JSON / TOML / YAML.
+- Enables re-using a chart in multiple posts.
+- Avoids bloating your content with long chart specifications.
+- Accelerates page and chart loading by reducing page size and allowing browser to cache compiled chart.
+
+Cons:
+
+- Charts are separate files from posts.
+
+Here's how you use the shortcode in this way:
+
+1. Create a directory `content/charts/` inside your `content` directory
+2. Create a file `summary_line_chart.js` inside of that folder
+3. Paste any echart specification into that file; copy one e.g. from the [echarts gallery of examples](https://echarts.apache.org/examples/en/editor.html?c=area-stack-gradient).
+4. Change the prefix of the specification from ~~`option = {`~~ to `export const option = {`.
+5. Finally, add the following shortcode in your post, wherever you want the chart to be loaded:
+
+```
+{{</* echarts file="charts/summary_line_chart.js" >}}
+{{< /echarts */>}}
+```
+
+## echarts options
+
+The `echarts` shortcode has also the following named parameters, supported in both ways of use (direct and referenced):
 
 * **width** *[optional]* (**first** positional parameter)
 
diff --git a/layouts/shortcodes/echarts.html b/layouts/shortcodes/echarts.html
index f13be3608..05d5b3d2a 100644
--- a/layouts/shortcodes/echarts.html
+++ b/layouts/shortcodes/echarts.html
@@ -1,6 +1,22 @@
-{{- $content := .Inner | transform.Unmarshal | jsonify -}}
-{{- $id := dict "Content" $content "Scratch" .Page.Scratch | partial "function/id.html" -}}
 {{- $width := cond .IsNamedParams (.Get "width") (.Get 0) | default "100%" -}}
 {{- $height := cond .IsNamedParams (.Get "height") (.Get 1) | default "30rem" -}}
-<div class="echarts" id="{{ $id }}" style="width: {{ $width }}; height: {{ $height }};"></div>
+{{- if (.Get "file") -}}
+    {{- $chart_filename := (.Get "file") -}}
+    {{- $scratch := newScratch -}}
+    {{- $scratch.Set "absolute_filename" "" -}}
+    {{- with .Get "file" -}}
+        {{- $chart_name := index (split (path.Base $chart_filename) ".") 0 -}}
+        {{- $chart_absolute_filename := add "/" $chart_filename -}}
+        {{- $scratch.Set "absolute_filename" $chart_absolute_filename -}}
+        {{- $id := add "echart_" $chart_name -}}
+        {{- $scratch.Set "divid" $id -}}
+    {{- end -}}
+    {{ $id := $scratch.Get "divid" }}
+    {{ $chart_absolute_filename := $scratch.Get "absolute_filename" }}
+    <div class="echarts" data-filename="{{- $chart_absolute_filename -}}" id="{{ $id }}" style="width: {{ $width }}; height: {{ $height }};"></div>
+{{- else -}}
+    {{- $content := .Inner | transform.Unmarshal | jsonify -}}
+    {{- $id := dict "Content" $content "Scratch" .Page.Scratch | partial "function/id.html" -}}
+    <div class="echarts" id="{{ $id }}" style="width: {{ $width }}; height: {{ $height }};"></div>
+{{- end -}}
 {{- .Page.Scratch.SetInMap "this" "echarts" true -}}
diff --git a/src/js/theme.js b/src/js/theme.js
index 3598f9a25..7292125ee 100644
--- a/src/js/theme.js
+++ b/src/js/theme.js
@@ -515,8 +515,20 @@ class Theme {
                 }
                 this._echartsArr = [];
                 this.util.forEach(document.getElementsByClassName('echarts'), $echarts => {
-                    const chart = echarts.init($echarts, this.isDark ? 'dark' : 'light', {renderer: 'svg'});
-                    chart.setOption(JSON.parse(this.data[$echarts.id]));
+                    let filename = $echarts.dataset.filename;
+                    const chart = echarts.init($echarts, this.isDark ? 'dark' : 'macarons', {renderer: 'svg'});
+                    if (! filename) {
+                        // has chart config stored in some element ID as JSON
+                        chart.setOption(JSON.parse(this.data[$echarts.id]));
+                    } else {
+                        // has data-filename attribute => load chart config from external file
+                        $echarts.innerHTML = '';
+                        import(filename).then(module => {
+                            chart.setOption(module.option);
+                        }).catch((err) => {
+                            console.error("While loading eChart for " + filename + ": " + err);
+                        })
+                    }
                     this._echartsArr.push(chart);
                 });
             });