Recently, art colleges in China have started to enter the second around of interviews for the examination. In addition to performing majors, broadcasting majors are also popular. However,  the unlikely academic qualification of a puppetry major has become increasingly attractive and is  a "dark horse" for application.

The number of puppet major applicants hit a record high in Shanghai Theatre Academy this year. The Central Academy of Drama has got over 2,000 students apply. Is the sharp increased number of people applying for a puppetry major purely for enthusiasm or student trying to get a more likely offer from an art college?

In 2004, puppetry performance major was rarely known by people. In the same year, the Shanghai Theatre Academy first enrolled in undergraduate courses for puppet major. For more than a decade, the puppet performance major has always been low key, but in recent years the number of applicants has gradually increased. In 2016, the number of applicants reached 604.

Unexpectedly, this number doubled after two years. In the 2018 arts examination, the number of puppet performance major applicants reached more than 1,380, while the number of enrolled students has shrunk to only 18 students.

On the other side, the Central Academy of Drama set the puppet performance major for the first time in 2018, and 2073 applicants apply this major. The number of enrolled students was 25 that mean the competition was even more difficult than Shanghai Theatre Academy.

Shanghai Theatre Academy has started the second round of the examination on Wednesday. A candidate from Chongqing City of China, Xiaohua, participated in the examination with other two hundred candidates. 

The content of examination includes puppet performance and improvisation. “I never learn about puppet performance but thanks to the teacher told me how to do during the examination.” Xiaohua said.  

Another parent of a candidate expressed that “My daughter doesn’t know about puppet performance. I help her to apply this major because I think it will increase one more opportunity to go into the art college.”

“Puppetry performance major is becoming popular in its own contingency and inevitability. Firstly, the country has created a good environment for the traditional culture. The second is the development space and unique charm of the puppet . At last, I believe there is a group of young people who strive to take the puppetry performance forward.” Qin Feng, a professional puppet teacher explained why puppet major are popular right now.