The year 2010 marks Yishu’s ninth year of publishing and its third year as a bi-monthly publication. The inaugural issue debuted in the spring of 2002, and Ken Lum’s opening editorial statement stressed the aim of Yishu “to not only reflect on discourses about Chinese art but also to produce and lead discourses on Chinese art. Yishu represents a platform for serious discussions in the context of globalization and increasing multiculturalism.” This has been the journal’s consistent aim, and it is the base from which the staff at Yishu works. In 2002, Yishu was the only English language publication to focus on this area of contemporary art, and though we have created a distinct and consistent profile for ourselves, we are equally pleased to see the growth of other publications and Web-based initiatives that are providing expanded opportunities for these discussions to evolve.

Yishu does not intend to prescribe what constitutes Chinese art or even the term contemporary, both of which elude fixity and are positioned within the complexity of what might constitute “Chinese.” It is clear that mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan have very different histories, and, beyond that, we acknowledge the vast Chinese diaspora that has resulted in our coverage of artists, exhibitions, and conferences around the world.

It is our ambition with Yishu to provide a service to scholars, researchers, collectors, and those interested in this field of art. We now have an archive of hundreds of articles, interviews, dialogues, and conference papers that cumulatively are invaluable to an understanding of contemporary Chinese art, and that we plan to eventually make available on our Web site. We have attempted to offer Yishu as a platform for a wide range of voices who are telling the story of contemporary Chinese art from a diversity of perspectives—and it is diversity that keeps discourse alive and moving. It is especially exciting to witness a new generation of artists who, with their innovative approaches to making art and unique understanding of culture, are making important contributions to the future of contemporary Chinese art.

The staff at Yishu would like to thank Art & Collection Group, Ltd., in Taipei for its commitment to supporting Yishu, and all the subscribers, supporters, and contributors who have made this publication the vital journal that it is. The remarkably positive responses we receive during our travels do much to encourage us. Happy new year to all of you, whichever one or ones you may celebrate.