People's Liberation Army Academy of Art, university in Beijing, China
The People's Liberation Army Academy of Art is a public university in Beijing that specializes in artistic education with a military focus. The institution has seven departments teaching twelve different art forms, including painting, dance, music, and drama, with practical studios, classrooms, and performance halls spread across a well-maintained campus.
The academy was established in 1960 and was China's only high-level school training military artists and writers for many years. It closed in 1969 during the Cultural Revolution but reopened in 1978, after which it expanded with additional departments in dance, music, and cultural management.
The institution carries its name from its role as a place where artistic training serves military and national purposes. Visitors see sculptures, murals, and posters throughout the campus that highlight patriotic themes and historical events, showing how art forms are used here to tell stories about China and its people.
The campus is in Beijing's Haidian District and easy to reach, with organized buildings containing studios and performance spaces that are recognizable to visitors. Students move between classrooms and workshops, showing that regular artistic activities and occasional exhibitions take place where visitors can see student work.
Several graduates of the academy have become well-known figures in China's art world, including dancer Jin Xing from the 1979 class, who gained international fame. The school has thus become known for producing artists who work beyond purely military contexts.
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