- The Beverly Arts
- Sep 12
Updated: Oct 10
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- The Beverly Arts
- Aug 30
Los Angeles Beverly Arts (LABA) Blue-Chip Artist Jiannan Huang
Maotai, Guizhou, China. 27th August, 2025. The Hurun Research Institute released the Hurun China Art List 2025 report which ranks the Top 100 Chinese living artists based on the 2024 sales of their works at public auctions, with LABA Blue-Chip artist Jiannan Huang taking second place this year. In first place was oil painter Chunya Zhou, who topped the Hurun China Art List for the second time in 18 years with sales of US$18 million (130 million yuan) at public auctions during the past year. Zhou has made the Hurun China Art List for 18 years in a row in the Top 15, and made the Top 10 for eight years in a row. Huang had auction sales of US$17.2 million (120 million yuan) last year, and after first appearing on the Hurun China Art List in 2014, has been in the Top 10 ten times. The lists are compiled from data collected by Chongqing Cultural Art Industry Association, Artprice and Artron.
Source: Hurun China Art List 2025
Overall, total artist sales had decreased over last year, with the total sales of the 100 artists on the list reaching US$230,000 million (1.65 billion yuan), a 48% decrease from last year. None of the artists saw their sales increase compared to last year. This year 24 new artists were added to the list, including 14 returning artists and 10 appearing for the first time. China Guardian sold seven of the top ten most expensive works by living artists last year. Yongle Auctions sold two of the top ten most expensive works by living artists, and the other was sold by Christie's.
Twenty-one living artists made the "2025 Hurun Best-Selling Chinese Artists" list (the top 100 living and deceased Chinese artists), six fewer than last year. The report also includes the Hurun Best-Selling Chinese Artists 2024, and a list of the 100 Best-Selling artists from China (both living and deceased). Daqian Zhang topped the list for the eleventh time with sales of US$18 million (1.26 billion yuan), a 37% decrease from the previous year. Baishi Qi maintained his second place ranking, with sales down 49% to 770 million yuan. Among the returning artists, Guangdong traditional Chinese painter Chuxiong Fang made his 14th appearance on the Hurun China Art List this year, ranking 27th with sales of US$2.2 million (5.68 million yuan).
Source: Hurun China Art List 2025
The most successful newcomer was Hebei traditional Chinese painter Jingzhe Cui, who entered the top 30 for the first time and ranked 22nd with sales of US$3 million (21 million yuan). Six female artists made the list, and the most successful female artist is Sichuan oil painter Ke Chen, ranking 14th with sales of US$3.8 million (27.44 million yuan). In the 18 years since the Hurun China Art List was founded, a total of 20 female artists have appeared.
The average age of the artists on the list is 64, two years older than last year, marking the first increase after five consecutive years. The number of young artists aged 50 and under decreased to 25 from 29, marking the first decline after five consecutive years of growth. Beijing is home to 55 living artists, Jiangsu rose by two artists to six, moving up to second place. Guangdong, Shanghai, and Sichuan each tied for third place with five artists.
The Hurun China Art List has featured 323 artists over its 18-year history. There are 12 artists who have been on the list for 18 consecutive years: Ye Liu, Chunya Zhou, Zeng Fan, Fanzhi Zeng, Xiaogang Zhang, Shangyi Jin, Mingming Wang, Lijun Fang, Zhongli Luo, Jiaying He, Yidong Wang, and Xuan Ai. For more information: www.hurun.net
Source: Hurun China Art List 2025
About Hurun Inc.
Promoting Entrepreneurship Through Lists and Research
Oxford, Shanghai, Mumbai
Established in the United Kingdom in 1999, Hurun is a research and media group, promoting entrepreneurship through its lists and research. Widely regarded as an opinion-leader in the world of business, Hurun generated 8 billion views on the Hurun brand in 2024, mainly in China and India, and recently expanding to the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
Best-known for the Hurun Rich List series, telling the stories of the world’s successful entrepreneurs in China, India and the world, Hurun’s other key series focus on young businesses and entrepreneurs, through the Hurun Unicorns Index, two Hurun Future Unicorns indices, the Hurun Uth series and the Hurun Pioneers series.
Hurun has grown to become the world’s largest list compiler for start-ups, ranking over 3000 start-ups across the world through its annual Hurun Global Unicorns Index (startups with a valuation of US$1bn+), and two Hurun Future Unicorn Indexes: Gazelles, most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within three years, and Cheetahs, most likely to ‘go unicorn’ within five years.
The Hurun Pioneering Young Startups and Entrepreneurs series focuses on startups set up within the last ten years and founders aged 45 or under.
The Hurun Uth series includes the Under25s, Under30s, Under35s and Under40s awards, representing the cream of each generation of young entrepreneurs who have founded businesses with a social impact and worth US$1m, US$10m, US$50m and US$100m respectively.
Other lists include the Hurun 500 series, ranking the most valuable companies in the world, China and India, the Hurun Global High Schools List, ranking the world’s best independent high schools, the Hurun Philanthropy List, ranking the biggest philanthropists and the Hurun Art List, ranking the world’s most successful artists alive today.
Hurun provides research reports co-branded with some of the world’s leading financial institutions and regional governments.
Hurun hosts high-profile events across China and India, as well as London, Paris, New York, LA, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, Luxembourg, Istanbul, Dubai and Singapore.
About Chongqing Cultural Art Industry Association
The Chongqing Cultural Art Industry Association, approved by the administrative departments of the Chongqing Culture and Tourism Development Commission and the Chongqing Civil Affairs Bureau in 2015, is officially registered as a nonprofit corporate social organization. The Association is dedicated to establishing a comprehensive industry service platform that aims to foster exchanges and cooperation within the industry, enhance the industry's overall competitiveness, and serve as a bridge between the government, society, enterprises, and individuals.
The Beverly Arts News is sponsored by World Peace One, VTGO, MDSUN, XAVVI, BYC International Holdings, Shennel Trading, InLight Foundation, Cynthia Clarté, Jiannan Huang Art Institute, Galaxy Community, Xiuwen Wang Art Studio, and The Beverly Arts Foundation
- The Beverly Arts
- Jul 30
Updated: Aug 11
[China Times News] On July 26, 2025, the two-day 2025 HOTELEX China International Chinese Cuisine Culinary Championship - Lianglu Cup concluded successfully in Chengdu, Sichuan. The competition attracted 316 participants from countries and regions including Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, India, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
The event was hosted by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce Baking Industry Association and Shanghai UBM International Exhibition Co., Ltd., co-organized by the Sichuan Culinary Association, and organized by Sichuan Tourism College and the National Lanminglu Skill Master Studio.
● 316 participants from around the world! The "Olympics" of the global Chinese culinary world
The awards for this year's competition were officially announced after on-site notarization. The exhibition and evaluation section consisted of four categories, with a total of 11 gold, silver, and bronze medals. The individual competition section consisted of five categories, with 16 gold medals, 32 silver medals, and 53 bronze medals. The final winners of the Lianglu Cup, the competition's highest honor, have been announced, along with the 180,000 yuan prize. Mao Yujie from Chengdu secured the Lianglu Cup championship with the highest score, followed by Li Yangrong and Li Lanxin from Kunming, Yunnan, in third place. In terms of special awards, Nanjing's Lu Yunzhen won the Best Young Chef Award, Tangshan's Ma Wanqing received the Best Creativity Award, and India's Sreya Aneesh was named Best Overseas Chef. The Nanjing Tourism Vocational College team also took home the Best Team Award.
Over two days of intense competition, culinary artists from around the world showcased their talents. Some delved deeply into regional culture, transforming local ingredients into gustatory narratives; others cleverly used flowers as a medium to create flavor symbols that connect local customs and human nature; and still others adhered to the essence of traditional cooking, strictly adhering to traditional techniques in knife skills, heat control, and shaping, while skillfully incorporating modern quantitative and flavor logic and spatial aesthetics to create a culinary dialogue that transcends time and space.
At the competition, a Jiangnan Water Village Chinese banquet themed "Jiangnan Memories Banquet" was a particularly eye-catching display. Featuring an exquisite "Jiangnan Memories Banquet" signage and vibrant fish sculptures, complemented by lotus flower and leaf embellishments, the presentation evoked a warm and elegant Jiangnan atmosphere.
As the only international competition held in southwest China certified by the World Federation of Chefs, this year's "Lianglu Cup" not only provided a premier stage for young chefs from around the world to compete, but also created a valuable opportunity for cross-cultural dialogue. The judging criteria were based on the World Federation of Chefs' standardized scoring system. Dr. Rick Stephen, Vice President of the World Federation of Chefs, served as Honorary Chairman, and Andreas J.W. Mueller of the World Federation of Chefs' Education Committee attended as an observer. Professor Lan Minglu of Sichuan Tourism University served as Chairman, and Tony Khoo, a member of the World Federation of Chefs' Competition Committee, served as Chief Judge. The judging panel consisted of certified World Federation of Chefs judges, national culinary masters, and industry leaders to ensure a fair, professional, and international competition.
At the judging panel, Chinese and international judges, adhering to the competition's philosophy of "international standards with Chinese characteristics," engaged in professional debates around the entries, comprehensively scoring them based on multiple dimensions, including skill level, creative presentation, and cultural integration, providing authoritative guidance and feedback to the contestants. The judging process witnessed a fierce collision and deep integration of Eastern and Western culinary cultures, encompassing rigorous data analysis and profound cultural heritage. Dr. Rick Stephen, Vice President of the World Federation of Chefs and Honorary Chairman of the competition, stated at the closing ceremony, "We have witnessed the new generation of chefs' commitment to and innovation in culinary authenticity, and we have also felt the cultural resonance achieved through food—precisely the most moving way to pass on contemporary culinary civilization."
● Tradition and Innovation, Exhibition and Competition: A Revolution in Chinese Cuisine
This year's competition set a new benchmark for the culinary industry. Over 300 contestants from around the world showcased the theme of "Tradition and Innovation in Coexistence" with astonishing creativity. The young chefs, in particular, demonstrated remarkable technical sophistication and artistic expression. Tony Khoo, Chief Judge and member of the World Federation of Chefs' Competition Committee, said in an interview, "We are particularly pleased to see that over 60% of the entries achieved a perfect balance between flavor innovation and cultural heritage, signaling that global culinary culture is entering a new era of greater inclusiveness." The competition also demonstrated the unique value of culinary art as a medium for cross-cultural exchange.
It is reported that the proportion of entries from young chefs reached a record high of 63%, with a record-breaking proportion of female contestants. The entries also incorporated many traditional Chinese culinary techniques. Andreas Muller, Chair of the Education Committee of the World Federation of Chefs and an observer at the competition, stated that the contestants' innovative performances exemplify the competition's core philosophy of "inheriting tradition without conservatism, and innovating without forgetting our roots." The competition provides a vivid example of the integration of traditional techniques and modern technology for global culinary education.
This competition, centered on the core principles of "cultural exchange, inheritance and innovation, talent cultivation, and the export of Chinese cuisine," aims to create an international competitive arena. Lan Minglu, initiator of the "Lianglu Cup," chair of this year's competition, and professor at Sichuan Tourism University, explained that truly exporting Chinese cuisine can be achieved through three key approaches. First, it's not just about exporting dishes, but also about exporting talent. This involves cultivating and training professional chefs with high professional standards and comprehensive skills to create authentic Chinese cuisine, empowering the younger generation of Chinese chefs to further their professional development. Second, it's about strengthening competition exchanges, allowing overseas counterparts to directly experience and exchange ideas, fostering a face-to-face exchange between Chinese and Western culinary cultures. Finally, it's crucial to export not only talent but also Chinese ingredients and seasonings, ensuring the precise export of the industry chain and ensuring that traditional culinary culture takes root overseas.
The successful 2025 HOTELEX China International Chinese Cuisine Cooking Championship—Lianglu Cup—is not only a living vehicle for the inheritance of traditional skills, but also a platform for the contemporary expression of Chinese cuisine as a "taste diplomacy," and a culinary bond connecting the hearts of Chinese and Western people. What the audience witnessed was not just a culinary competition, but also the creative transformation of Chinese culinary culture for the future, a true reflection of the profound value of Chinese cuisine going global.
Mr. Minglu LAN, the chairman of the competition, is the honorary chairman of the Chef Committee of the US-China Restaurant Association, and Mr. Rick Stephen, the honorary chairman of the competition, is a senior advisor to the US-China Restaurant Association. Therefore, Hu Xiaojun, chairman of the US-China Restaurant Association, sent a congratulatory letter on behalf of the US-China Restaurant Association. The following is the content of the letter:
Dear Chairman Minglu Lan and Honorary Chairman Rick Stephen,
On behalf of the U.S.-China Restaurant Alliance, I extend my warmest congratulations on the grand and successful hosting of the 2025 HOTELEX China International Chinese Cuisine Championship — “Lianglu Cup”, recently held in Sichuan.
This prestigious event—marked by its global scope, professional standards, and exceptional execution—has become a milestone in today’s international culinary field. It not only showcased the superb techniques of chefs from around the world, but also provided a valuable platform for young culinary talents to launch themselves onto the international stage. In the context of increasingly integrated global food culture and talent mobility, the success of the Lianglu Cup represents a meaningful step in fostering international collaboration and advancing professional culinary development.
Chairman Lan, as the Honorary Chairman of the Folk Chef Committee of the U.S.-China Restaurant Alliance, has long been devoted to the global promotion of traditional Chinese culinary arts. Honorary Chairman Rick Stephen, as our respected senior advisor, is a renowned figure in global culinary education and judging. With your joint leadership, this event has transcended the boundaries of competition to become a celebration of cultural exchange, culinary vision, and international friendship.
We firmly believe that a truly international chef must not only possess solid technical skills and culinary mastery, but also develop a global mindset. Only then can they represent Chinese culinary culture on the world stage—confidently, sustainably, and with long-term influence. The Lianglu Cup has brought this vision to life and inspired a new generation of chefs to reach higher and farther.
Once again, our heartfelt congratulations. May you continue to shine on the global culinary stage and lead new waves of innovation and cultural exchange in world cuisine.
Warmest regards,
Xiaojun (Tony) Hu
Chairman
U.S.-China Restaurant Alliance
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