On the morning of March 27, Liu Yandong, member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee and vice premier, accompanied by Jiang Xiaojuan, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, Du Yubo, deputy minister of Ministry of Education, Dong Wei, deputy minister of Ministry of Culture and Gou Zhongwen, member of the standing committee and secretary of Education Commission of Beijing, visited The Central Academy of Drama to investigate its reform and development situation and its implementation of the speech spirit put forward by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of CPC Central Committee at the Forum on Literature and Art.
Accompanied by Liu Libin, secretary of the Party committee of the Academy and Xu Xiang, president of the Academy, Liu Yandong listened to a brief report on the history and current status of the Academy given by Liu Libin in the front hall of Experimental Theatre in Dongcheng campus. Then, she attended the stage lines teaching presentation of Acting Department in the theatre. Liu watched the performance with great interest and inquired about teaching contents and methods at times. After the reporting, she held cordial talks and took pictures with the teachers and students. She thought highly of the performance and believed that this excellent show of sophomores was a result of both students and teachers’ effort. The Central Academy of Drama has strict teaching attitude & standard, a close relationship with the top theatre arts institutes in the world and has a set of education and teaching methods. Meanwhile, it attaches great importance to the integration of traditional Chinese dramas as well as students’ training. Liu urged the students to read classical books, pay attention to cultural accumulation and humanistic quality to become artists. She hoped the students would not be influenced by the impetuous mood spreading over the society and to cherish their precious time to study about art. She expected to see more students on stages, televisions and films.
Afterwards, Liu came to the Beijing Opera rehearsal studio in North teaching building to hear the teaching presentation about Traditional Play. She praised the students’ excellent performance skill and artistic accomplishment and took pictures with them.
Finally, Ms. Liu delivered an important address. She said that both our Party and country pay high attention to the drama development and talent cultivation. Over the past 65 years, The Central Academy of Drama has cultivated a large number of outstanding talents, produced many excellent works and aimed to strengthen international exchanges, enhanced its international influence and has made contribution to improving Chinese soft strength of culture. It should be mentioned that The Central Academy of Drama does not live up to the expectation of our Party and country as it has made great contributions to the development of Chinese culture.
Liu pointed out that the General Secretary Xi held a Forum on Literature and Art last October 15, which is the second forum on this topic hosted by the general secretary after the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art hosted by Mao Zedong. At the meeting, Xi said that literature and art play an irreplaceable role in achieving Two Century Goals and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and literary and art workers have a brilliant future. This makes a direction for our culture front and art workers. China has a long history and splendid culture. At such a great age, the literary and art workers should make contributions to the era and arts education colleges have responsibilities to undertake this historical mission.
Liu stressed that The Central Academy of Drama should implement the Party’s educational policy, adhere to the correct educational orientation, practice socialist core values, follow the art rules, improve teaching quality comprehensively and cultivate artists who have deep artistic accomplishment, solid theoretical knowledge, correct values and outlooks, and noble pursuits to serve the national culture cause and provide more exquisite cultural products to people. She wished the students to establish lofty ideals, study art earnestly and inherit our excellent traditions. At the same time, students should have a world view; learn dramatic performance and creation from other countries so as to further promote the development of modern Chinese Theatre.
Liu stated that great era needs great works. Literature and art own a great power to unite people and exert ourselves to overcome difficulties to implement the Two Century Goals and realize great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation which is great challenges for China. Hence, she wanted The Central Academy of Drama to create a number of products with good quality; she hoped the students can produce masterpieces for the 21st century, a new era after graduation.
Liu also noted that The Central Academy of Drama has to strengthen studies on Traditional Chinese Theatre Arts. It is deserved to be studied about how to inherit this treasure and make innovation along with the changing of times to meet the demand of different generations, social levels and ages. At the same time, we should combine the Traditional Chinese Theatre Arts with various local ones. The Central Academy of Drama should play a leading role to lead the development of national drama colleges and theater studies, in all aspects of Chinese theatre theory, practice and talent cultivation.
