Central Academy of Drama

History

The school was originally established in 1938. Mao Zedong, who was the Chairman of China, personally named, designed and wrote the school emblem.

The Central Academy of Drama, formed by the merger of two schools, was final established in April 1950, with Ouyang Yuqian as its first president, and was named by Mao Zedong.

It inherited the drama department of Lu Xun Art Academy in Yan'an (founded in 1938), the art school of North China University, and the National Drama College in Nanjing (founded in 1935).

In January 1950, the Government Affairs Council of the Central People's Government officially approved the renaming of the National Academy of Drama to the "Central Academy of Drama". On April 2, the founding meeting of the Central Academy of Drama was held. In the early days of the college's establishment, in order to adapt to the dual tasks of teaching and performance creation at that time, the college first offered one-year general courses for training, and successively launched two-year undergraduate courses; trained professional cadres at provincial and military levels and above to improve professional standards. It established the opera department, drama department, stage art department, as well as general subjects, dance sports cadre training class, Cui Chengxi dance research class, etc.

Starting in the summer of 1953, various departments of the college began recruiting undergraduate students from all over the country. To this end, the college has made major adjustments to the professional setting and teaching system, abolished the Opera Department, and established the Performance Department, the Directing Department, the Stage Art Department, and the Drama Literature Department on the basis of the original Drama Department, physical education, vocal music and other teaching and research groups.

Many famous actors, actresses and directors have graduated from the Academy including Zhang Ziyi, Jiang Wen, Gong Li, Zhao Jinmai , Li Landi and Wang Xingyue.

As of October 2022, the school has 16 undergraduate teaching units (including the Basic Teaching Department, the Ideological and Political Theory Teaching and Research Department, and the Humanities Department), 11 undergraduate majors, and 27 undergraduate major directions (excluding international projects).

Rankings and reputation

The Central Academy of Drama is regarded as the most prestigious drama school in China and ranked 2nd in Asia and 32nd in the world by the 2021 QS World University Rankings in Performing Arts.

Notable alumni

Note that class year indicates the entrance year, not graduating year.

Acting Department

Class of 1950: Jin Yaqin

Class of 1954: Zheng Zhenyao

Class of 1959: Yan Shunkai

Class of 1960: Wen Xingyu

Class of 1974: Chen Baoguo, Guo Lianwen

Class of 1979: Chen Daoming

Class of 1980: Jiang Wen, Lü Liping, Yue Hong

Class of 1982: Ni Dahong

Class of 1984: Zhang Hanyu, Wu Xiubo

Class of 1985: Gong Li, Jia Hongsheng, Wei Zi, Chen Wei

Class of 1986: Chen Zhihui

Class of 1987: Hu Jun, Xu Fan

Class of 1988: Guo Tao, Wu Xiubo

Class of 1989: Tao Hong

Class of 1990: Li Yapeng, Chen Jianbin

Class of 1991: Huang Zhizhong

Class of 1993: Zhu Yuanyuan, Wang Qianyuan

Class of 1994: Tao Hong, Gong Beibi, Duan Yihong

Class of 1995: Xia Yu