A charity art auction fetched a record 12.83 million yuan (US$2.03 million) in Shanghai last night.

The annual auction, held by the 1,700-year-old Longhua Temple, put 21 calligraphy pieces, paintings and sculptures by renowned Chinese artists under the hammer.

The highest bid, 1.5 million yuan, went to a calligraphic script written by Zhao Puchu, the late poet and former chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association, organizers said.

All the money raised will be donated to the Shanghai Charity Foundation to sponsor needy students in Shanghai, cover medical costs of underprivileged children, and aid people in areas hit by disasters.

The New Year auction has raised more than 30 million yuan since it was first held in 2006.