The 2025 Autumn Auctions at China Guardian Hong Kong are in full swing, with today’s (8 October) Asian 20th Century and Contemporary Art Sale, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, achieving a total of approximately HK$70 million (around US$8.9 million).
Of the 99 lots offered, the sale recorded an 85% sell-through rate, with two works surpassing the HK$10 million mark. Leading the auction was Zao Wou-Ki’s abstract canvas 27.01.83, which hammered at HK$15 million and achieved a final price of HK$17.7 million (around US$2.3 million) with buyer’s premium. Close behind was Li Chen’s monumental bronze sculpture Dragon-Riding Buddha, which fetched nearly HK$11.15 million (around US$1.4 million).
Lot 25 | Zao Wou-Ki (1920-2013) | 27.01.83, oil on canvas
Painted in 1983
95 x 105 cm
Provenance:
- Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York
- Galerie Artcurial, Paris
- Private Collection
- 15 Jun 1997, Heritage Arts International Taipei, Lot 79
- Collection of the Yageo Foundation
- 31 Oct 2004, Christie's Hong Kong The Yageo Foundation Collection Auction, Lot 770
- Important Private Collection, Asia
- 6 Oct 2014, Sotheby's Hong Kong 20th Century Chinese Art Auction, Lot 5053
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian Collector from the above
Estimate: HK$8,000,000 - 15,000,000
Hammer Price: HK$15,000,000
Sold: HK$17,700,000
Zao’s 27.01.83 attracted multiple bidders and quickly exceeded HK$10 million. After a brisk exchange, the work was secured by a phone bidder with paddle number 626. Including fees, the painting’s final price reached HK$17.7 million.
The work previously belonged to the Yageo Foundation, the prominent collection established by Taiwanese tech entrepreneur Pierre Chen. It last appeared at auction in 2014, when it sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong for HK$10.6 million — making this latest result a 67% increase in value over 12 years.
Zao Wou-ki
Painted in 1983, 27.01.83 belongs to what is widely referred to as Zao’s “Infinite Period,” a phase marked by introspection and spiritual depth. Following personal losses in the 1970s, Zao returned to painting with a renewed sense of clarity, fusing Eastern philosophy with lyrical abstraction.
The early 1980s marked a high point in the artist’s career. In 1981, he became the first Chinese artist to receive a solo retrospective at the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais in Paris. Two years later, Zao traveled to Taipei for a solo show at the National Museum of History, where he reconnected with longtime friend and fellow artist Zhang Daqian. Their exchange – part philosophical, part painterly – had a profound influence on Zao’s work from this period.
Zao (middle) and his third wife Françoise Marquet with Zhang Daqian (right)
Close-up of 27.01.83
Purple is a rare color in Zao’s oeuvre, typically used sparingly as an accent. In 27.01.83, however, it takes center stage — making the piece both visually striking and significant.
The composition divides the canvas into two distinct yet harmonized realms. The lower half is layered with veils of pale yellow, icy blue, soft green, and ivory — a luminous, cloud-like terrain. Threaded through are brown strokes that suggest the rhythm of mountain ranges or the dust trails of galloping horses.
Above, dense washes of indigo, cobalt blue, and reddish brown expand into a cosmic sky. Zao’s masterful handling of texture — from granular speckles and misty washes to bold splashes and dense impasto — creates a vibrant sense of depth. The dominant violet hues seem to glow from within, evoking nebulae, auroras, or the iridescent glazes of Song dynasty Jun ware ceramics.
Since its creation, the painting has been exhibited in two major shows: Zao’s 1986 solo exhibition at Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York and the 1994 retrospective in Mexico City.
Lot 56 | Li Chen (b.1963) | Dragon-Riding Buddha, bronze sculpture
Executed in 2001; edition: 4/6
330 x 293 x 200 cm
Provenance:
- Asia Art Center, Taipei
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$5,800,000 - 8,800,000
Hammer Price: HK$9,400,000
Sold: HK$11,148,000
Another major highlight of the sale was Li Chen’s Dragon-Riding Buddha, a 3.3-meter bronze sculpture that commanded equally spirited bidding. The work exceeded its high estimate, ultimately selling to a bidder with paddle number 804 for a hammer price of HK$9.4 million, or nearly HK$11.15 million with premium.
Created in 2001, Dragon-Riding Buddha is among Li Chen’s most iconic works and forms part of his acclaimed Spiritual Journey Through the Great Ether series. Editions of the sculpture in various sizes have been exhibited in Paris, Venice, Beijing, Taipei, and Singapore.
This edition is the largest Li Chen sculpture ever offered at auction. A different edition of the same size was sold at China Guardian Hong Kong’s 2021 Spring Auction for HK$17.9 million, setting the artist's world auction record.
Close-up of Dragon-Riding Buddha
A different version exhibited in Taipei
A different edition of the same size was sold at China Guardian Hong Kong’s 2021 Spring Auction for HK$17.9 million, setting the artist's auction record
Li Chen
Li Chen draws inspiration from Buddhist and Taoist traditions, weaving metaphysical philosophy into sculptural forms that often feature plump, childlike Buddhas and stylized mythical beasts. Beneath their whimsical surfaces lies a deep sense of classical elegance and spiritual stillness.
Dragon-Riding Buddha is based on the folk legend of the bodhisattva Guanyin riding a dragon. The dragon below recalls the archaic grandeur of Shang and Zhou ritual bronzes, while the Guanyin figure above stands poised in tranquil command — as if in harmony with both heaven and earth.
Together, they radiate a divine presence, capturing a sense of weightless grace and spiritual transcendence. The work seems to pulse with a life force — a flowing energy that evokes the essence of celestial freedom and serene detachment.
Other Highlight Lots:
Lot 33 | Marc Chagall (1887-1985) | La Maison du Peintre, oil on canvas
Painted in 1968
61 x 49.7 cm
Provenance:
- Thence by descent
- 17 Jun 2022, Marc Chagall – Forty Paintings from the estates of the Chagall family, Switzerland Galerie Kornfeld Auktionen AG, Lot 9
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
Hammer Price: HK$6,500,000
Sold: HK$7,755,000
Lot 36 | Ting Yinyung (1902-1978) | Portrait of a Woman, oil on canvas
Painted in 1960s
49.5 x 39.5 cm
Provenance:
- Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
- 28 Apr 1996, Christie's Hong Kong Spring Auctions, Lot 406
- 2 Nov 1998, Christie's Hong Kong Autumn Auctions, Lot 307
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Hammer Price: HK$2,600,000
Sold: HK$3,120,000
Lot 26 | Lalan (1921-1995) | La Lune était Bleue, oil on canvas
Painted in 1967-1969
100 x 81 cm
Provenance:
- Galerie Moderne Silkeborg, Denmark
- 9 Jul 2020, Sotheby's Hong Kong Spring Auctions, Lot 763
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$1,100,000 - 1,800,000
Hammer Price: HK$2,400,000
Sold: HK$2,880,000
Lot 24 | Ding Yi (b.1962) | Appearance of Crosses 2007-5, acrylic on tartan
Painted in 2007
200 x 280 cm
Provenance:
- 27 Jun 2010, Shanghai Hosane Spring Auctions, Lot 244
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$2,200,000 - 3,500,000
Hammer Price: HK$2,200,000
Sold: HK$2,640,000
Lot 44 | Wang Yidong (b.1955) | Bride in Waiting, oil on canvas
Painted in 1993
136 x 103.5 cm
Provenance:
- Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
- 2 Nov 1998, Christie's Hong Kong Contemporary Chinese Oil Paintings Auctions, Lot 328
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$1,200,000 - 2,000,000
Hammer Price: HK$1,750,000
Sold: HK$2,100,000
Lot 28 | Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010) | Reminiscence of Hangzhou, ink and colour on paper
Painted in 1992
54.3 x 68.4 cm
Provenance:
- 6 Oct 2014, Sotheby's Hong Kong Autumn Auctions, Lot 1291
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000
Hammer Price: HK$1,550,000
Sold: HK$1,860,000
Lot 37 | Ting Yinyung (1902-1978) | Sculpture, oil on canvas
Painted in 1963
60 x 45 cm
Provenance:
- 30 Oct 1994, Christie's Hong Kong Spring Auctions, Lot 14
- 5 Jun 2006, China Guardian Spring Auctions, Lot 20
- 11 Nov 2011, Chengxuan Beijing Autumn Auctions, Lot 609
- Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above
Estimate: HK$1,200,000 - 1,800,000
Hammer Price: HK$1,300,000
Sold: HK$1,560,000
Lot 29 | Yayoi Kusama (b.1929) | River, acrylic on canvas
Painted in 1990
15.8 x 22.7 cm
Provenance:
- Important Private Collection, Asia
Estimate: HK$1,200,000 - 1,800,000
Hammer Price: HK$1,200,000
Sold: HK$1,440,000
Lot 66 | Sanyu (1895-1966) | Cat, ink and pencil on paper
Painted in 1920-1930s
15.7 x 30 cm
Provenance:
- Important Private Collection, USA
Estimate: HK$250,000 - 350,000
Hammer Price: HK$670,000
Sold: HK$804,000
Auction Details:
Auction House: China Guardian (HK) Auctions
Sale: Asian 20th Century and Contemporary Art
Date: 8 October 2025
Number of Lots: 99
Sold: 84
Unsold: 15
Sale Rate: 85%
Sale Total: Approximately HK$70 million