Established in 1928 (as the National Academy of Art) by influential educator Cai Yuanpei (Cài Yuánpéi, 蔡元培), the China Academy of Art (Zhōngguó Měishù Xuéyuàn, 中国美术学院) has long been the preeminent art school in the country, and now hosts some 7,000 students, studying at eight separate schools, spread across 3 campuses.

The principal campus, Nanshan (Nánshān Xiàoqū, 南山校区), which houses the fine arts school and the school of arts humanities, enjoys a spectacular location beside the famed West Lake, and is surrounded by a number of small galleries that often showcase the work of students of the various schools.

If you're in town for a few days, it's possible to partake in short-term classes in traditional Chinese painting.

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