The Academy of Traditional Chinese Painting (ATCP) recently announced the list of its first group of 16 academicians. This is the first time China has set up the system of academicians in the areas of fine arts.

In China, the term "academicians" normally refers to academicians at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and previously there have been no academicians in the fields of art and literature in China.

Selecting its first group of academicians in the fine art is a courageous attempt and experiment by ATCP to enhance the international influence of China's art, says ATCP President Yang Xiaoyang.

The ATCP, founded in 1981, is a research institution conducting comprehensive and systematic research on Chinese paintings, holding exhibitions, collecting famous art works, and helping cultivate talent.

Setting up the system of academicians fully shows the vision of the ATCP and its high artistic ideals, Yang said. "It's a pity China doesn't have an academician system in literature and art. It is not good for encouraging those who have made great achievements in those areas," said Yang.

The ATCP is now carrying out five major projects, including hiring masters, building several studios for art, implementing China's art development projects, carrying out overseas publicity for Chinese art and collecting art works.

The ATCP first chose 300 artists, all high-level in various categories of the fine arts, and narrowed the selection down to 16.

Medals and awards are not the only standards for the title of academician, Yang said. The selected artists' artistic achievements should form an independent system in art and be able to have far-reaching influence on following generations. Also, these artists should have absolute authority in their respective fields.

"As for very young talents who have won top prizes at important international competitions, we won't yet award them the title as we pay more attention to the long-term artistic achievements of artists," said Yang.

"After the list was made public, many people took this as a beneficial experiment for China's academy system in the fields of culture and art. The official system will be finally established by the State Council, but the attempt of ATCP is a good experiment and a reference for further improvement of such system," Yang said.

"China is a large country and we can only select 16 people out of countless artists. But there is absolutely no dispute about the 16 academicians' artistic achievements," said Yang. "The establishment of the academy system in China's art and culture is still in an experimental phase. If there are any problems, we will make adjustments accordingly."

The 16 academicians

- Zhang Ding (1917- 2010): Master of traditional Chinese painting and cartoons

- Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010): Famous oil painter, devoted to the nationalization of oil painting in China

- Huang Miaozi (1913-): Famous cartoonist and scholar on fine arts history, calligrapher, and writer

- Wang Bomin (1924-): Famous historian of China's art, painter and poet

- Huang Yongyu (1924-): Master of woodcarving and traditional Chinese painting

- Pan He (1925-): Renowned sculptor

- Ouyang Zhongshi (1928-): Famous calligrapher, scholar and educator in calligraphy

- Qian Shaowu (1928-): Master of sculpture, calligraphy and painting

- Yang Zhiguang (1930-): Famous artist in traditional Chinese painting

- Zhan Jianjun (1931-): Famous oil painter

- Shen Peng (1931-): Famous calligrapher, art critic, writer and an expert in publishing

- Fang Zengxian (1931-): Master of traditional Chinese figure painting

- Liu Wenxi (1933-): Master of realistic painting

- Yuan Yunfu (1933-): Master of art decoration and industrial arts

- Shao Dazhen (1934-): Famous contemporary art theorist and painter

- Jin Shangyi (1934-): Representative Chinese oil painter