With auction prices soaring, hundreds of new studios, galleries and private art museums are opening in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

In 2005, after an art trek to Europe, Duan Jianghua decided to pick up his brushes again. He moved to Beijing, rented a studio and started the arduous journey of honing his artistic practice.

In "a place full of fresh flowers" at the northeastern corner of Beijing, I started to learn painting in the temporary studio of Master Zhang.