A visitor views an oil painting at the Asian Art Top Show in Beijing on January 5th, 2009. [Liu Wei/CRI]

Artists, reporters and crowds of art enthusiasts gathered at Beijing's World Trade Center on Monday for Asian Art Top Show (AATS 2009) which will run through the week.

It seems the chilliness of Beijing's cold winter has not dampened people's passion for art, despite predictions that global financial recession would translate to fewer art buyers.

Amidst worldwide economic slump, the show has assembled a slew of powerful participants, including Museum of China Central Academy of Fine Arts, American gallery Cao Yong International Art Gallery, Taiwanese gallery Lee Sun-Don's X-Power Gallery and many other artists from South Korea.

A list of established artists and budding painters from the Chinese mainland also met the public with a variety of artworks. Wen Wu, the general director of the show and a renowned traditional Chinese artist, told CRI that compared with the hard-hit western economies in the crisis, we are far more sober-minded.

"Our art market has been distorted for quite long time because some artists lost their aesthetic tastes, blinded by the prospect of large profits. Now is a good time for people to slow down, cool off, and think about where to go."

He stressed the importance of the show is to highlight clean and serious art, and help set a positive precedent in the Asia art market for 2009.

"The show, for the first time, puts forward the idea of establishing an independent aesthetic Asia and the market system." This seems to be reinforced by the many participating agencies and artists.

World renowned Taiwanese artist Lee Sun-Don has won numerous awards in his career. This is his first time participating in a mainland art fair, showcasing his famous Buddhism series. The artist spoke highly of the show's sublime motif that calls for a return to the clean, serious fine art and expressed his desire to convey truth, goodness and beauty in his works.

"We do not need to follow suite with others who expose the ugly, dark and shabby in art. We can also paint the beautiful and bright things in life." The artist added that China's long history and profound cultural heritage are priceless treasures and provide inspiration for artist.

Lee put seven of his artworks on charity sales at half of the international standard price during the show and will donate all the gains.

As for how big the impact is on artworks and whether people should spend or not in this "dark" economic period, the art insider said the art market will also follow the volatile cycle of this financial crisis. The art market is anticipated to sink to a low during spring auction sales this year, and then prices will spiral up in time for this year's autumn auction period.

Renowned South Korean artist Kim Hak Kon says he came here to learn how well other artists are doing. His morale has been boosted by talking to other painters.