The Art Ensemble was established in the context of the Chinese Revolutionary War and became a vital element in the literary institutions of the liberated area after the Yan'an Forum on Literature and Art. Before the Yan'an Forum, the Art Ensemble in the liberated area took ”nationalism” as its major objective and its activities were centered on the individualistic creation of literature and art. After the Forum, though, the Art Ensemble in the liberated area took proletarian ideology as its directive and its activities were centered on theatrical performances, political propaganda and battlefield assistance. Because of the ideological tendency of its activities, the Art Ensemble naturally developed into the dominant force in the literary institutions of the liberated area.