The iconic photograph of China's most prestigious charity program -- Project Hope -- was the most expensive picture sold at China's first photography auction held in Beijing on Thursday.

The 1991 photograph, popularly known as Big Eyes, captures the innocent eyes of a girl and is credited with persuading millions of Chinese to donate to Project Hope helping school drop-outs in rural areas to return to class.

Bidding on the 51 cm by 34.8 cm photograph by Xie Hailong opened at 240,000 yuan (US$30,000). It finally sold for 308,000 yuan (US$38,500), the highest price paid at the Beijing auction, out of over 130 photographs sold.

Xie said he would donate the proceeds to help pay for the construction of a Project Hope primary school in Tibet. Many of the other photographs sold for 10 times \ their reserve prices.

"Photographs worth collecting should be of special significance and be a record of history," said Xu Jianing, an official with the auction house -- Huachen Auctions.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2006)