Beijing, May 18, 2026 – The highly anticipated Beijing Council International 2026 Spring Art Auction concluded successfully yesterday. The total transaction volume of this spring auction reached RMB 820 million, with a high transaction rate of 81.5%, demonstrating the strong resilience of the art market in the current economic environment. Among them, the jade special session, represented by Bi-Yu jade, performed particularly well, with several exquisite Bi-Yu pieces fetching high prices, becoming a major highlight of this auction.
This spring auction featured over a dozen special sessions, including Chinese paintings and calligraphy, porcelain and miscellaneous items, rare books, contemporary art, and jewelry and watches. Among all the lots, the most eye-catching was the “Condensing Green Treasures – Important Bi-Yu Jade Special Session.” This session presented 45 exquisite Bi-Yu jade pieces, with 42 ultimately sold, achieving a high transaction rate of 93.3% and a total transaction volume of RMB 150 million, far exceeding pre-auction estimates.
Notably, a “Qianlong Period Bi-Yu Jade Carved Auspicious Beast Pattern Vase with Live Ring Handles” was hammered at RMB 38 million, with the final transaction price reaching RMB 43.7 million after commission, making it the highest-priced lot of this spring auction. The starting price for this lot was RMB 25 million. After multiple rounds of fierce bidding, it was ultimately acquired by an anonymous buyer through telephone bidding, with a premium of nearly 75% over the starting price. Another “Mid-Qing Dynasty Bi-Yu Jade Carved Landscape and Figure Screen” also sold for RMB 22 million, 46.7% higher than its upper estimate (RMB 15 million). In addition, several Hetian Bi-Yu jade bracelets, ornaments, and other items also sold for prices 20% to 50% above their estimates, indicating strong market demand for high-quality Bi-Yu jade.
Mr. Dong Guoqiang, Chairman of Beijing Council International Auction Co., Ltd., stated in an interview: “The success of this spring auction, especially the outstanding performance of the Bi-Yu jade special session, once again proves the deep potential of the Chinese art market and collectors' continuous enthusiasm for exquisite artworks. As an important part of traditional Chinese jade culture, Bi-Yu jade, with its warm texture, rich colors, and profound cultural connotations, has always been highly favored in the market. We observe that collectors are willing to pay higher prices for Bi-Yu jade masterpieces with clear provenance, exquisite craftsmanship, and excellent condition.”
Mr. Li Ming, a senior jade market analyst, pointed out: “In recent years, the Bi-Yu jade market has shown a steady growth trend. On the one hand, the scarcity of high-quality Hetian Bi-Yu jade is becoming increasingly prominent, leading to its continuous value appreciation; on the other hand, with the sustained development of the domestic economy and the strengthening of cultural confidence, more and more collectors are beginning to pay attention to and collect jade artworks with oriental aesthetic characteristics. The brilliant performance of the Bi-Yu jade special session at this Council spring auction will undoubtedly further boost market confidence, and it is expected that the price of high-quality Bi-Yu jade will continue to maintain an annual growth rate of 10% to 15% in the next two years.”
From the overall market perspective, the transaction data of this Council spring auction also conveys positive signals. The 81.5% transaction rate is higher than the 78% level in the same period last year, and the total transaction volume has also increased compared to last spring auction's RMB 750 million. This indicates that despite macroeconomic uncertainties, the art market, especially the traditional Chinese art sector, still demonstrates strong risk resistance and investment value. The collector base is also becoming more diversified, with not only seasoned collectors continuing to increase their holdings but also many new collectors actively entering the market, injecting new vitality into the market.
Looking ahead, industry insiders generally believe that with the gradual recovery of the global economy and the increasing popularization of art investment concepts, the Chinese art market will continue to maintain steady growth. Categories like Bi-Yu jade, which possess both cultural value, artistic value, and scarcity, will continue to attract market attention.