BEIJING, November 20, 2026 – The highly anticipated China Guardian 2026 Autumn Auction concluded successfully yesterday. The total transaction volume of this autumn auction reached RMB 2.35 billion, a robust increase of 16.9% compared to RMB 2.01 billion in the 2025 autumn auction. Among them, the “Contemporary Jade Carvings” special session, which was the focus of this auction, performed particularly brilliantly, achieving a high transaction rate of 92.5% and a total transaction volume of RMB 380 million, becoming the biggest highlight of this autumn auction and significantly boosting market confidence.
The “Contemporary Jade Carvings” special session featured a total of 120 lots, with 111 successfully sold. Among them, a white jade ornament titled “Prosperous Lotus Rhyme” created by national-level jade carving master Zhang Mingyuan, fetched the top price of RMB 28 million, far exceeding its pre-auction estimate range of RMB 18 million to RMB 22 million, with a premium rate as high as 27.3%. Another celadon jade mountain carving titled “Sound of Mountains and Rivers” designed by emerging young jade carver Li Hua, also sold for a high price of RMB 12.5 million, with a 15% premium over the upper estimate. Overall, the average unit price of the contemporary jade carving section reached RMB 3.42 million, an increase of 12.8% compared to the same period last year.
Ms. Wang Li, Vice President of China Guardian Auctions and General Manager of the Jewellery, Watches & Luxury Goods Department, stated in an interview with reporters: “The excellent performance of the contemporary jade carving section in this autumn auction fully demonstrates the strong market demand for high-quality, high-artistic-value contemporary jade carving works. Especially those works that combine traditional cultural connotations with modern aesthetic innovation have been enthusiastically sought after by collectors. We have observed that not only seasoned collectors, but also an increasing number of younger generation collectors are beginning to pay attention to and invest in contemporary jade carvings, which injects new vitality into the market.”
Market analysts point out that the strong performance of contemporary jade carvings in this Guardian autumn auction indicates that the jade market is gradually emerging from the adjustment period of the past two years, showing positive signs of recovery. On the one hand, the gradual recovery of the global economy provides a favorable environment for the art market; on the other hand, the enhancement of domestic cultural confidence has made contemporary jade carving works with profound cultural heritage more popular. At the same time, auction houses have paid more attention to the originality, craftsmanship, and scarcity of masterworks in their consignment efforts, which has effectively enhanced the market competitiveness of the lots.
Mr. Chen Gang, a senior jade market commentator, analyzed: “The success of 'Prosperous Lotus Rhyme' lies not only in the rarity of its material and the exquisite craftsmanship, but also in its auspicious symbolism and the esteemed status of master Zhang Mingyuan in the industry. The outstanding performance of young jade carvers' works, on the other hand, indicates that the market's recognition of emerging forces is increasing, and the future jade carving market will show a more diversified development trend. Collectors are advised to pay attention to the works of potential young artists while focusing on masterworks, in order to achieve higher investment returns.”
Looking ahead, with the trend of Chinese traditional cultural revival and consumption upgrading, the contemporary jade carving market is expected to continue to maintain a growth momentum. However, collectors still need to remain rational when investing, paying attention to the artistic value, craftsmanship, author's reputation, and market liquidity of the works, avoiding blind following. The success of this China Guardian autumn auction undoubtedly injected a shot in the arm for the entire art market and painted a broader prospect for the future development of contemporary jade carving.