Did a Chinese Acting School Ban Plastic Surgery

The film and television school at Shandong University of Art recently made the decision to ban students who had plastic surgery from applying to the school.

The dean of the school, Dong Lian, made the announcement during an art exam press conference on March 1st. According to Lian, Shandong prioritizes students who are expressive over those who are considered to be cookie-cutter beautiful.

During an interview following his announcement, Lian said, “we decided to ban those applicants who have had cosmetic surgery in this year’s entrance exam.’ He added that an occupation like an actor draws “attention from millions of people. If you have had cosmetic surgery, even a micro plastic, it affects your subtle facial expressions.”

In addition to the plastic surgery ban, Lian warned students to be aware of having Botox or how they apply makeup when auditioning for the school. Lian says that students need to rely on their natural beauty to stand out and also focus on developing their natural skills. Heavy makeup will not be accepted even if it is used to cover scars.

The news about plastic surgery and makeup comes during a busy year of applications to the school. It is estimated that 9000 students are competing for 210 spots in the film and television school.

(This story originally appeared on nextshark.com)