The prevailing modernism in the early 20th century Western art scene greatly influenced Asian artists and led them to redefine sculpture. The art form, which was once regarded in Asia as a subordinate art form -practical objects for the decoration of public buildings and spaces-was raised to a level of high art. At the time, sculpture as an art form was gaining recognition in the art museums of the West. As such, the history of Asian sculpture in the early 20th century is closely bound up with the development of Western formalism. As Asian sculptors explored their own identities, they created works that would represent the philosophy and spirit of the East but also draw inspiration from the West. The Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming has carved out a prominent position in both the Asian and Western art scenes with his Taichi Series. The Ju Ming Museum in Taiwan was the first museum for Asian Sculpture to be established in Asia.
Unlike two-dimensional paintings, sculptures are physical entities that exist in space. They cannot be isolated from the space and environment in which they exist. They affect and are affected by the atmosphere and mood of their surroundings, giving rise to a range of possibilities for interpretation. The German philosopher Martin Heidegger said: "We learn that objects are being placed in a particular location, but not belonging to that spot. Therefore sculptures are in fact exemplifications of a place."

The Taichi Series (previously known as the Kungfu Series), which began in 1976, conveys the traditional Chinese spirit of 'oneness of heaven and humanity'. Taichi as a martial arts form is not merely a set of fighting gestures, but is a channel for meditation in which man and nature are combined. Through physical training, man can return to the harmonious cycles of nature. Taichi Series: Push Hand (Lot 180) depicts a two-man bare-handed combat move. Within this seemingly steady, calm gesture lies the wisdom of defense. As written in a Qing Dynasty fist-fighting manual: "One should spend time practising the four basic hand gestures. The upper and lower body ought to be well-coordinated, with the centre balanced at the waist. If one is being attacked, he ought to reduce the opponent's strength to the minimal amount. One should not hit the opponent hard; instead, one should use gentle, graceful movements to defend against the opponent. The key is to fend off the opponent with a small, silent touch." The fighters in Ju's sculptures are faceless and have no identifiable bodily features; as such, the viewer cannot identify the fighters. The main focus is the relationship between the bodily gestures and space, not the identity of the fighters or who the winner is. The sculpture does not need a specific environment; with changes of space, time and light, it creates new conversations and content in response to the environment.