Watermelons scatter on the lawn at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, June 1, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

The Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing has prepared an unusual farewell gift for its graduates, turning the campus into a sea of watermelons.

The watermelon field, a summer-themed art installation, is a feature of CAFA graduate exhibition which opened on Thursday. Visitors can eat the watermelon on site or take them away.

It was a surprise specially prepared for students by the university, according to Beijing Morning Post. About 3,500 watermelons were purchased from Daxing district in suburban Beijing and delivered by two large trucks before being arranged on the field at about 4 am. A thin fog covers the watermelon field to add mystery.

"To surprise students, we did it before dawn. So when students get up in the morning, it seems that the watermelons just sprung up one night," a CAFA employee explained. After the opening ceremony, the watermelons were given to graduates.

The move is intended to bring teachers, students and the university together in a special way.

The official Weibo account of CAFA said that this is just the first surprise for its graduates. From June 2 to June 20, the graduation artworks will be exhibited publicly on campus and the public is invited to visit for free.