By staff reporter SEBASTIEN ROUSSILLAT

DOES the French word “chiner” （antiquing） come from the Chinese love for flea markets and antiques？ Perhaps not. But it is certain that the Chinese are serious collectors and this love didnt come from nowhere！

It isnt difficult to see that collecting is fashionable among Chinese， not only at home but also in America and Europe. More and more Chinese connoisseurs and investors are filling auction houses to bid on antiques. Some are hoping to reclaim some of the Chinese artifacts that vanished during the Opium Wars and after； others are simply hunting for bargains.

This is not just a phenomenon among the rich and powerful. Collecting is in fashion all over China， among the middle classes and even in the countryside. Collectors are not only seeking to accumulate expensive artworks or historical artifacts； some are also after old stamps， old objects for daily use， or even old newspapers and books.

Resuming an Old Habit

After living through the tumultuous 1960s， when Chinese customs and traditions were reviled and recanted， modern China has begun to rediscover and appreciate its history and traditional artworks. TV shows dedicated to appraising and identifying ancient relics are flourishing under many different forms. Spectators love to send their old odds and ends to TV shows to be verified and priced. On one of Beijing TVs best-known programs， if an object is found to be a fake， it is immediately destroyed on camera. This is one means of showing that false items have no place in the Chinese market. There are many websites dedicated to all sorts of collections and auctions， and antique stores are found in every Chinese city.

In the majority of Chinese cities， one can also find open-air flea markets like those at Panjiayuan and Liulichang in central Beijing. Sometimes， buried among the counterfeits， it is still possible to find authentic pieces of ancient history， if you know how to spot them.

Also， for professionals and experts， artwork and antique auctions are on the rise. Many large auction houses such as China Guardian， Poly International Auction， Hanhai and Rongbaozhai regularly organize sales which are eagerly attended.

Why Do You Keep This Old Junk？

This is the question which collectors hear the most from families exasperated by the amount of space at home dedicated to antiques. Is it compulsive accumulation or the pleasure of ownership that pushes the Chinese to hoard their treasures？

In general， one finds that there are four reasons for collecting. First， there is the pleasure of owning pieces of art and history as ones own， for personal enjoyment. Second， some feel a sense of duty to preserve artifacts from certain periods of Chinese history. Third， many artworks play an inspirational role， notably for artists who want to study and learn from the masters. And finally， they also serve as investments and ornamentations， which are popular in high society and among the nouveaux-riches who appreciate fine culture or at least want people to think so.

Paintings and calligraphy are among the most popular collectibles in China. Some， if they are truly unique， can fetch astronomical prices. Ancient money， which has high intrinsic as well as cultural value， is also prized among collectors. Objects from specific historical periods， such as the Republic of China （1911-1949） or from the 1950s， the “cultural revolution” （1966-1976） and the 1980s – radios， televisions， games or telephones – are also sought after. Obviously， enamels and porcelain are among the top collectibles， as well as stamps， banknotes， or even commemorative coins. Among the more unusual collectibles one can find tea sets and enamel chamber pots which are still “soiled.”

An American journalist once mocked Chinese stone-collectors. Puzzled at this hobby， he didnt understand that it is an ancient pastime with roots in age-old Taoist culture. The stones from sacred Mount Taishan are treasured and sell for a high price according to their shapes and veins. Myself， I have one which resembles the Chinese character“mountain.” Jade is also highly valued， both as jewelry and sculpture.

A Passion That Didnt Start Yesterday

Collecting is a fashion hundreds of years old in China. The Chinese word for collecting， which literally means “collecting and hiding，” comes from the old way of storing collections in a special cabinet， hidden from view and covered in mothballs. The habit has revived in recent years， but it is by no means a novelty.

During the Song Dynasty （960-1279） the poetess Li Qingzhao and her husband traveled across China in search of engravings and steles. Their trove was so large that during the Jurchen invasion it took 50 wagons to transport all of their treasures when the couple fled their home. Unfortunately， almost all of it was lost after the death of Lis husband. The tragedy inspired one of her saddest and most beautiful poems， and thus became a blessing in disguise.

The painter and calligrapher Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty （1271-1368） was also a seasoned collector， who regarded his collection as a means of studying other artists and borrowing inspiration from them.

The Ming Dynasty （1368-1644） calligrapher Dong Qichang was also a fervent connoisseur of paintings and calligraphy， an impressive number of which bear his seal. According to his records， not one of these items was ever resold： he was a true collector. Dong is sometimes described as the first Chinese art dealer and， in any case， one of the most experienced collectors. He hoarded his collection in a chamber named Xuanshang， and composed a detailed inventory which is still used as a reference by art dealers and collectors today.

Qing Emperor Qianlong （1711-1799） was also an ardent hoarder of antiques and valuables. He is known for having the most extensive art collection of any Chinese monarch. Most of the best-prized Chinese artworks traded today originated in his collections， having been plundered from the sack of the Yuanmingyuan gardens or the chaotic periods thereafter. Today these relics are sought after by collectors all over the world.

I have decided to start my own collection. Perhaps one day， like the celebrity collector Ma Weidu， I will open a museum of tea sets. Who knows？