The first major auction of Chinese art in the Chinese mainland is to take place on Saturday in Beijing.

More than 2,000 important ancient and modern paintings, ceramics, calligraphic works and jewels are to go under the hammer at the two-day auction.

Huachen Auction Co Ltd, one of the five major Beijing-based auctioneers, at the Jingguang Center will oversee the sale. A public viewing is now available.

"This is a prelude to the series of autumn auctions in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou this month and early next month," said Gan Xuejun, general manager of the auction house.

The expected interest from buyers is expected to be intense, similar to that witnessed at the New York-based Sotheby's and London-based Christies' auctions of Chinese art in Hong Kong last weekend.

The two auction giants saw a new record price for Chinese ceramics made in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and the hammer price of a 20th-century middle-sized ink painting triple the estimated price and exceed 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million), which is rare.

Tomorrow a "big bang" is expected to be brought by a collection of ceramics made during the Yongle administration (1402-1424) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and a delicate 300-year-old plate in the yellow colour of lemonade, which is rarely seen among Chinese ceramics.

Two oil paintings are also set to cause a stir among the lots. "Qianmen Rostrum of Beijing" by Yan Wenliang (1893-1990) fully displays the grandeur of the city, the mystic atmosphere shrouding the capital and the weight of history that it bears.

"Ancient Temple" by Xu Beihong (1895-1953) shows a temple hidden in a forest.

Sketches are also included in the auction. "A Girl" by Wang Yidong displays the charm of the genre, which have long been neglected by art collectors from the Chinese mainland.

The auction also includes some avant-garde pieces like "Dream" by Xia Xiaowan, which depicts beauty in blood.

"We auctioneers mainly cater for tastes of the middle class but we also have to promote new trends and we are making such attempts at each auction," said Li Feng, an expert who finds oil paintings and sculptures for the auction company.

(China Daily November 5, 2004)