It has formed several cultural landmarks out of dilapidated plants or reclusive villages in Beijing, such as the 798 Art Zone, Jiuchang (Brewer Plant), Fangcaodi (Fresh Grassland), Suojiacun Village and Songzhuang.

Other centers include the Moganshan 50 on the Suzhou River in Shanghai, the Tank Storehouse Art District in Chongqing and the Blue Roof Art Center in Chengdu - all places densely populated with studios and galleries.

"These communities reveal the true state of Chinese contemporary art - seemingly marginalized but actually vigorous," says Li Feng, director of the Chinese oil on canvas department of Beijing Huachen Auctions.

Since the Star Show in 1979, which marked the launch of China's contemporary art, new platforms have mushroomed.

Since 2000, these have included the biennales at Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou, Li says.

Yang Wei believes the sudden rise of contemporary art, from the underground to the spotlight, is the result of continuous economic growth and social reforms in China.

"Chinese contemporary artists have two advantages. On the one hand, the outside world wants to know China and the artists are important channels for telling the world China's stories," he says. "On the other hand, China wants to show the world something new besides the Great Wall and the Forbidden City."

International collectors quickly focus on countries with long histories and rapidly changing societies, such as India and China.

"China's unique experience is the attraction of its contemporary art," says Yang. "The country is absorbing Western cultures against a backdrop of a culture with thousands of years of history. The country is changing like never before in history, and the future is even more unpredictable."

Yue believes "creativity" is the charm of Chinese contemporary art. "Every artist is trying to express his individual experience and thought."

But not all artists are reveling in the newfound prosperity and question the artist's integrity.

Avant-garde artist Jiao Yingqi says: "Society is already talking about money all the time. Now, you are also talking about contemporary art after learning it sells well.

"Contemporary art came into being as a rebellion against capitalism, but now it seems quite satisfied with capitalism.

"Criticism of society and capitalism should be the core value of contemporary art, but the core value is fading."

Critic Huang Heqing says in his book Cultural Conspiracy that Chinese contemporary art is actually "Western art made in China", and the booming interest is a form of "cultural invasion", and the prosperity is almost the same as that in the former Soviet Union.

Despite the worries, most artists concentrate on creating their own styles.

Many artists have their own signature theme or style, such as the old photos on canvas by Zhang Xiaogang, the harmless hooligan-like men with shaved heads by Fang Lijun and the red-hued violence depicted by Yang Shaobin. "Every artist has in his mind an individual style. It's the theme of contemporary art and also the key," says Yang Shaobin.

Editor: Cindy