Hangzhou, November 28, 2026 – The highly anticipated Xiling Yinshe 2026 Autumn Auction concluded successfully yesterday. The total transaction value of this autumn auction reached an impressive 1.25 billion RMB, with a transaction rate of 86.5%, once again demonstrating the strong vitality of the art market. Among them, the 'Contemporary Jade Carving: Gentlemen in Stone' special session, a highlight of this auction, performed particularly well, achieving a total transaction value of 185 million RMB and a high transaction rate of 92%. Many exquisite jade carving pieces were sold at prices significantly exceeding their estimates, confirming the continuous rise in the popularity of contemporary jade carving collection.
The contemporary jade carving session featured 120 carefully selected works, covering various materials such as Hetian jade, jadeite, and Nanhong agate, bringing together the ingenious creations of numerous contemporary jade carving masters. Among them, the 'Auspicious Beasts Presenting Good Fortune' Hetian jade ornament, created by Chinese jade carving master Zhang Mou, became the focus of the entire session due to its exquisite craftsmanship, warm jade quality, and profound cultural connotations. The piece was hammered at 28 million RMB, an astonishing 55.5% premium over its estimate of 18 million RMB, setting a new auction record for Zhang Mou's personal works and becoming the highest-priced contemporary jade carving in this autumn auction.
Another highly anticipated lot was the 'Lotus Pond Moonlight' Biyu jade plaque by young jade carving artist Li Mou. This work won the favor of collectors with its unique creativity, fresh style, and delicate carving. It ultimately sold for 8.5 million RMB, an increase of 112.5% over its 4 million RMB estimate, demonstrating the market's recognition and pursuit of new-generation jade carving artists.
Additionally, a set of 'Twelve Zodiac Seals' Hetian jade pieces, jointly created by several renowned masters, sold for 15 million RMB, exceeding its estimate by 30%, reflecting the market's preference for serial and thematic collectibles due to their rarity, completeness, and artistic merit.
Market Analysis and Trend Forecast:
Mr. Lu Mou, Executive Director and General Manager of Xiling Yinshe Auction Co., Ltd., stated: “The success of this autumn auction's contemporary jade carving session is not accidental. In recent years, with the improvement of the national economy and the strengthening of cultural confidence, the art collection market has become increasingly prosperous. Contemporary jade carving, as a product combining traditional Chinese culture with modern aesthetics, its artistic and collection value is being recognized and sought after by more and more collectors. Especially masterpieces by renowned artists and innovative works have shown particularly outstanding market performance.”
Senior jade market analyst Mr. Wang pointed out: “The auction data clearly indicates that the contemporary jade carving market is in a steady upward trend. Firstly, the high transaction rate and high premium rate prove the strong market demand. Secondly, the continuous high-price transactions of masterworks have solidified their market position. More notably, works by young artists are also beginning to emerge, and their significant price increases foreshadow the market's recognition of innovation and potential. In the future, we expect the contemporary jade carving market to show a two-tiered differentiation: on the one hand, master-level, rare material, and culturally rich masterpieces will continue to operate at high levels; on the other hand, works by young and middle-aged artists with unique creativity, exquisite craftsmanship, and moderate prices will become new market favorites, attracting more new collectors.”
Expert Commentary:
Professor Zhao, a Chinese Arts and Crafts Master and renowned jade carving expert, commented: “The contemporary jade carving session at this Xiling Yinshe autumn auction has reached a new height in terms of both the quality of the lots and market response. This is not only an affirmation of jade carving artists but also a powerful promotion of the inheritance and innovation of excellent traditional Chinese culture. From the transaction data, collectors have a deeper understanding and pursuit of jade quality, craftsmanship, creativity, and the cultural connotations contained in the works. In the future, the collection value of jade carving art will not only be reflected in the rarity of the material but more in its artistic and cultural added value.”
The success of this Xiling Yinshe autumn auction undoubtedly brought a perfect close to the 2026 art market and laid a solid foundation for the further development of the contemporary jade carving market in 2027. It is expected that the contemporary jade carving collection craze will continue unabated in the coming years, and the market value of exquisite masterpieces is expected to continue to climb.