Musica Viva

School of Arts, Peking University

http://web5.pku.edu.cn/artpku

• History
Growing out of the Teaching & Research Section of Arts constructed in 1986 and Department of Art Studies set up in 1997,the School of Arts of Peking University was founded in January 11, 2006. Its present dean, Professor Ye Lang, a senior professor of philosophy and social sciences of the university, is arenowned aesthetician.
The art education has a long tradition in Peking Univeristy. Mr. Cai Yuan-pei, when served the post of president of the university, actively promoted aesthetic and art education. In January, 1917, he assumed office and set out to popularize aesthetic education. He brought up the idea of “replacing religion with aesthetic education”, gave aesthetics courses in person, undertook thecompilation of General Aesthetics, organized such arts societies as “Skills of Painting Research Association”, “Calligraphy Research Association”, “Music Research Association” etc., among which “Skills of Painting Research Association” and “Calligraphy Research Association” were merged as “Plastic Arts Research Association” in August, 1922 and “Music Research Association” was renamed“Conservatory of Music” in December, 1922. Mr. Cai also engaged a galaxy of famous modern artists, including Deng Yi-zhe，Xu Bei-hong, Chen Shi-zeng, Xiao You-mei, Liu Tian-hua, Hu Pei-heng, Chen Ban-ding etc., as teachers of Peking University and instructors of students’ artistic activities. Thanks to Mr. Cai Yuanpei, Peking University was enriched with pronounced artistic ambience and established itself as anational center of aesthetic and art education.
Adhering to the major guiding principleof equally emphasizing “Tao” (humanistic connotation) and “craft” (artistic skills), theory and practice, humanistic quality education and professional education, the School of Arts of Peking University has inherited a profound tradition of art education, actively explored and improved itself in such aspectslike discipline construction, quality education and construction of teaching team and so on.
The School of Arts composed of the Department of Art Studies, the Department of Musicology, the Department of Fine Arts, the Department of Movie &Television currently provides 3 BA programs, viz. movie & TV program editing and directing, art studies(including minor courses and dual degree programs of artstudiesand cultural industries), and public utility management (especially arts management) , 3 MA programs, namely,art studies, film studies, art history and theory, 2 MFA programs, and 1 PhD program in the first-level discipline of Arts.
For the purpose of implementing quality education of arts as an integrated part of general knowledge in our university, the School of Arts, offering open coursesand optional courses on art studiesand minor courses for dual degree programs and shouldering the responsibility of directing student art troupes of the university (including the Folk Music Ensemble, the Symphony Orchestra, the Choir and the Dance Troupe), has made great contribution to advancing campus culture and construction of campus ethicalcivilization unceasingly.
The School of Arts ofPeking University assembles an array of eminent Chinese and foreign artists and art educators.It now has 11 professors and 9 associate professors, among whom 8 are doctoral advisors. The School of Arts has also invited 12 distinguished experts and scholars in the field of art studies who are renowned in China, including Yu Run-yang, Shao Da-zhen, Shen Peng, Ouyang Zhong-shi, Zhong Cheng-xiang, HuangHui-lin, Yu Ping, Wang Yao-hua, Feng Yuan, Lin Zhao-hua, Wang Wen-zhang, Ye Yu-zhong, to be visiting professorsand 8 celebrated artists with various expertise, including Zhou Shao-hua, Wang Ming-ming, Peng Li-yuan, Ye Xiao-gang, Liu Min, Wang Shi-yu, Sun Yu-min, Pu Cun-xi, to be “Artists-in-Residence”.
With its profound humanistic spirits and rich artistic aura, the School of Arts of Peking...