China’s 2024 stamp program begins with a treat for collectors. The year starts with pair of dragons from designer Wang Huming’s 王虎鸣.  Not only has Wang supplied the artwork for China, but he also designed Jersey’s Year of the Dragon set. Huming is among the top stamp designers in the world, and it’s always exciting seeing his name pop up. 

China always offers a program deep in talent and themes. Designs range from classical artwork to modern photographs, making it difficult to pick one or two best because of the sheer variety of styles. As much as I love stamps like the Masterpieces of Chinese Classical Literature – Journey to the West, I think Yin Huili and Han Lu 会利, 韩璐 humble Insects II were the best designs or 2023. 

 Beautifully illustrated and presented, the set was a winner. Also from last year was an interesting label that accompanied the January 9, Forbidden City stamp. Huming designed the stamp, and the label was the work of Chang Shana, Zhang Panjian. 

I often gloss over the labels, but lately there have been a few eye poppers, so I’ll likely start giving them a bit more attention. As usual, you can find the latest commemoratives as well as some pretty cool postcards. That’s something I wish Canada Post would do a bit more often. Pre stamped postcards make it so tempting to grab and send. 

Enjoy Wang Huming’s art as he ushers us into the Year of the Dragon. 
Cheers
Catpaw

January

Year of the Dragon

2 stamps, FDC, cancel
offset

• 天龙行健 Tianlong Xingjian / Heavenly Dragon    . 
• 辰龙献瑞 Chenlong Xianrui

 … the dragon is a sacred beast, symbolizing dignity and strength, and meaning auspiciousness and good luck in the folk…

The first … stamp, titled “Heavenly Dragon Xingjian”, shows a golden dragon with its head held high, symbolizing the spirit of vigorous progress and self-improvement. Its image and posture originate from the Nine Dragons Wall of the Forbidden City, which is agile and majestic without losing its majesty. The golden dragon is decorated with auspicious flames and auspicious clouds and lined with a Chinese red background, showing a beautiful picture of auspicious celebration and auspiciousness… The central jade bi has the word “auspicious” in combination, which means auspiciousness and consummation, blessing and health.

The [second stamp shows a ] pattern [that] conveys …  harmony and auspiciousness, and the water pattern, cloud pattern and dragon image below jointly show the grand scene of the dragon soaring all over the world, expressing the good wishes of the wind and rain and the peace of the country.  “Year of the Jiachen” Special Stamps – China Post Group Co., Ltd

Designer: Wang Huming 王虎鸣 
Huming has designed numerous Lunar New Year stamps for countries around the world, including Jersey’s 2024 Dragons.

Release date: January 5, 2024

Suzhou 2024 Chinese Zodiac Philatelic Exhibition
postcard

1 pre-stamped postcard
offset

Designers: Lei Hanlin, Guo Xiaochen 雷汉林、郭晓辰

Release date: January 5, 2024

February

14th National Winter Games
postcard

1 pre-stamped postcard
offset

Designer: Wang Huming 王虎鸣 

Release date: February 17, 2024

March

120th Anniversary of the Founding of the Red Cross Society of China

1 stamp, sheets of 12

Designer: Xia Jingqiu 夏竞秋
Jingqiu is a graduate of the Fine Arts Department of Shenyang University Teachers College. He works in the artwork editorial department for China Post. Previous designs include Tang Monk and his disciples arrived at Xitianling Mountain (2023), China Space Station (one of the artists involved) (2022 and 2023), Convention on Biological Diversity (2021), and 100th Anniversary of the May 4th Movement (2019)

Release date: March 10, 2024

Traditional Seals
2nd in series

4 stamps, souvenir sheet, 4 sheets of 9
offset

• Seal of Wen Peng (1497–1573)
• Seal of He Zhen
• Seal of Wang Guan
• Seal of Cheng Sui

 The art of seal carving is one of the traditional Chinese visual culture art forms, which evolved from the practicality of seals. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, literati seal carving began to flourish and gradually became a unique art category. “China Seal Carving (II)” Special Stamps – China Post Group Co., Ltd

This article Historical significance of seals, status, identity they represent – SHINE News delves into the history of seals and their use. Interesting article, written in English. 

Designer: Rong Tie | 容铁 with assistance from the Social Affairs Committee of Xiling Seal Society, Shanghai Museum, Anhui Museum
Rong Tie is the director of the Chinese Calligraphers Association and the Chinese Artists Association as well as the  Xiling Seal Society. He also designed the 2022 Traditional Seals set.

Release date: March 20, 2024

April

World Natural Heritage – Chengjiang Fossil Site 澄江化石地

3 stamps, souvenir sheet of 12 (4 each)
offset

Chengjiang Fossil Land Natural Museum (cjhsd.com.cn) 

The names didn’t translate well. So I’ve included the original descriptions.

• Sinensis fossil  中华微网虫化石
• Fossils between ringed worms and sucking archaea 环饰蠕虫与吸盘古宿虫共生化石
• Fuxian Lake Insect Fossil 延长抚仙湖虫化石

The Chengjiang Fossil Site was declared a World Heritage Site in 2012.

The Chengjiang Fossil Site, located in the Province of Yunnan, China, conserves fossil remains which are of exceptional significance. The rocks and fossils of the Chengjiang Fossil Site present an outstanding and extraordinarily preserved record that testifies to the rapid diversification of life on Earth during the early Cambrian period, 530 million years before present. In this geologically short interval, almost all major groups of animals had their origins. The diverse geological evidence from the Chengjiang Fossil Site presents fossil remains of the highest quality of preservation and conveys a complete record of an early Cambrian marine community. It is one of the earliest records of a complex marine ecosystem and a unique window of understanding into the structure of early Cambrian communities. Chengjiang Fossil Site – UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Designers: Wang Yuheng, Yuan Yishan 王昱珩、原艺珊
Yuheng and Yishan used pencil crayons (Ok, coloured pencils for non-Canadians) mimic the feel of a hand painted image. Each fossil is superimposed on a schematic layout of Fuxian Lake which appears under ultraviolet light. 

Release date: April 18, 2024

China Shipbuilding Industry
series 2

4 stamps, souvenir sheet, 4 sheets of 16
offset

• aircraft carrier – Shandong ship
• 055 destroyer
• China’s first large cruise ship
• The world’s first 23000TEU dual-fuel powered container ship

Designer: Shen Jiahong 沈嘉宏

Release date: April 23, 2024 

May

Museum Collections
2nd in series

5 stamps with labels, 5 sheets of 12
offset 

• Shang inlaid turquoise ivory cup from Chinese Archaeological Museum – the museum opened to the public in September 15, 2023. The 7,000 square meters museum houses over 6,000 exhibits. 
• Neolithic jade-shaped dragon from Liaoning Provincial Museum 辽宁省博物馆 (lnmuseum.com.cn)
• Blue and white four love plum vase from Hubei Provincial Museum 湖北省博物馆 (hbww.org.cn)
• Hunan Museum 湖南博物院 (hnmuseum.com)
• Shang Bronze Twisted Head Kneeling Portrait from Sanxingdui Museum The lost world of Sanxingdui – World Archaeology (world-archaeology.com) (excellent article in English about the Sanxingdui civilization) and 三星堆博物馆 (sxd.cn) 
• 中国考古博物馆   商·嵌绿松石象牙杯
• 辽宁省博物馆   新石器时代·玉玦形龙
• 湖北省博物馆   元·青花四爱图梅瓶
• 湖南博物院   商·皿方罍
• 三星堆博物馆   商·铜扭头跪坐人像

Designer: Hao Ou 郝欧

Release date: May 18, 2024 

Yue Opera

3 stamps, 3 sheets of 12
offset

Yue Opera is a traditional Chinese opera, and in the life of China, is relatively new to the cultural scene. It began in 1906, in the village of Dongwang in the  Shengzhou, Zhejiang district. A group of traditional story tellers performed what would become Yue Opera for the first time. They performed  Ten Articles (Shi Jian Tou) and Ni Feng Fans the Tea (Ni Feng Shan Cha).

At that time, they didn’t know what to call this style of opera. It was based on a local form of musical storytelling called “luodi changshu,” but the performers transferred the storyteller’s narration into acting of different roles and therefore created a new form of Chinese opera. It was named “xiaoge ban” or “small-song troupe.”

The name would experience several changes until “Yueju” was adopted (Yue is the ancient name of Shaoxing, and ju means opera). However, March 27, 1906 has been regarded the birthday of Yueju Opera, and Dongwang Village of Shengzhou became its place of origin. Hometown of Yueju Opera Marks 100th Anniversary (china.org.cn)

Yue is performed by an all female cast and has, recently, become very popular with younger audiences and runs the second largest opera school  in Bejing, just behind the famed Bejing Opera. 

This article explores the new popularity of Yue with a young audience Art of Adaptation: How Yue Opera Is Winning Over Young Chinese (sixthtone.com) In English and does a good job of exploring both the art style and why its becoming so popular. This article goes deeper into the history of the opera Yueju Opera: Known for its beautiful singing of lyric librettos and elegant expressiveness | govt.chinadaily.com.cn. 

•  Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai 梁山伯与祝英台 The Butterfly Lovers – Liang And Zhu – Myths And Legends
•  Nine Jin Girl 九斤姑娘 This one doesn’t translate well. Translates as Nine Jin Girl and Nine Pound Girl. This article offers a description of the story, but you need to use a translator. Translates reasonably well with Google. Nine Jin Girl (Yue Opera Traditional Repertoire)_Baidu Encyclopedia
• Lu You and Tang Wan 陆游与唐琬 Lu You and Tang Wan (opera)_Baidu Encyclopedia again, use a translator. If you are interested in a substantial and fascinating look at this story and, check out this dissertation Yen-Lin Goh Reimagining the Story of Lu You and Tang Wan: Ge Gan-ru’s Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! and Hard, Hard, Hard! (bgsu.edu). If you are familiar with the underlying story, it offers a deep dive into the story as well as an interesting re-interpretation. 

This brief video offers an English explanation of the opera’s history and the changes it has undergone, as well as samples of the singing style.

Designer: Ding Xiaofang, Ding Yang | 丁筱芳、丁阳
Selvedge design: Xia Jingqiu | 夏竞秋

Release date: May 24, 2024 

Chaohu Lake

3 stamps, 3 sheets of 12
offset

Various sites from around Chaohu Chaohu Lake: What to See, How to Get there – China Travel Agency, China Tours 2019 | China Dragon Tours

• Cloud Steaming Basking Mountain 云蒸姥山
• wetland birdsong 湿地鸟鸣
• Chenghu symbiosis 城湖共生

Designer: Ding Temple Bell | 丁寺钟

Release date: May 25, 2024

50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and Malaysia

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 12
offset 

• Pine tree 松树 
• Ashwagandha  印茄树 

China and Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations on May 31, 1974. …

In China, pine trees are often used in ancient paintings and poems and are praised as a symbol of strength, grace and longevity. With a history of more than 800 years, the pine has become a symbol of peace and friendship between the people of China and the world. The pine is a large tree that is generally distributed in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, and grows in the Malay Peninsula in Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. Reaching up to 45 meters tall, the tree is hard and is commonly used in shipbuilding and furniture manufacturing. The ashwagandha tree is considered the national tree of Malaysia, symbolizing Malaysia’s achievements in sustainable management and biodiversity conservation, as well as the importance of forests to the country’s industry and economy. 
“50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and Malaysia” Commemorative Stamps – China Post Group Limited

Designer: 马锋辉 Ma Fenghui

Release date: May 31, 2024

June

Animation – The Story of Avanti

5 stamps, sheet of 11 plus label
offset

• 卖树荫  sells shade
• 兔送信 rabbit sends a letter
• 神医 Divine Doctor
• 宝驴 donkey  
• 种金子 gold

This set is based on Uyghur stories. The Story Of Avanti 📚 | Learn Chinese (With Cartoons) | Flexi Classes

Designer: Yuan Yishan 原艺珊
Yishan is also known for their fine stamp engraving work.  The Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University ran an article and interview with Yishan in 2022. Alumni Interview | Yuan Yishan, the engraver of the special stamps of “The Year of Renyin”: The art of engraving under the microscope-Shuyi.com (d-arts.cn)
It offers an nice look at the artist.

Release date: June 1, 2024

Suzhou Industrial Park 苏州工业园区

1 stamp, sheets of 12
offset

Designer: Li De  李德

Release date: June 10, 2024

Qinling Mountains

9 stamps, 3 souvenir sheets of 6, one sheet of 9
offset

• Dieshan Hengling 迭山横岭 
• Purple cypress Tiantan 紫柏天坦 
• Zhou Qin’s hometown 周秦故里
• Too white snow 太白积雪 
• The blessed land of the end of the south 终南福地 
• Sea of cryolite 冰晶石海 
• Cow’s back stacked show 牛背叠秀 
• Xiyue is dangerous 西岳奇险 
• Golden top brilliance 金顶增辉

Located in central China, the Qinling Mountains are a huge mountain range that runs east-west, providing water sources for the three major river basins of the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Huai River, and is a veritable “central water tower”. It is the dividing line formed by the Huai River is the dividing line between the climate of the north and south of China, and it is also the 0°C isotherm in China in January, the dividing line between the paddy fields in the south and the dry land in the north, and the dividing line between the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest and the temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, etc., which have an extraordinary status in the natural and geographical circles. The diverse climate from the foothills to the summits of the Qinling Mountains makes the Qinling Mountains extremely rich in biodiversity and a natural habitat for all kinds of wildlife. 
“Qinling” Special Stamps – China Post Group Co., Ltd

Designer: 程向军 Cheng Xiangjun

Release date: June 15, 2024

Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Whampoa Military Academy

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 12
rubber engraving overprint

• Whampoa Military Academy Headquarters
• Sun Yat-sen Memorial Room and Monument

Designer: Xia Jingqiu 刘健

Release date: June 16, 2024

Chinese Film – Personalised Stamp

1 stamp with label, sheets of 12
Offset cold stamping process and laser-engraved

This will eventually become a series featuring different Chinese movies.

Designer: Chen Nan

Release date: June 16, 2024 

July

Creation of the Gods / Romance of the Feng Gods
new series

4 stamps, 1 stamp on souvenir sheet, mini sheet with 8 stamps (4x 2), 4 sheets of 16

offset, using fluorescent ink 

This is a long explanation, so be patient. It’s both a beautiful set of stamps and a complex, wonderful tale. The original artwork for the stamps used a traditional Chinese style of painting and colour, that honoured the essence of a Song painting. Its intent was to create a sense of an ancient and mystical background of the story. The use of florescent light will bring out extra details.

Set in the 11th century BCE during the Shang Dynasty.  Written during the Ming Dynasty (1520-1560). The story has many titles, including Romance of the Gods, The Legend of Fengshen, The Complete Biography of the Shang and Zhaou Kingdoms, Romance of the Gods and The Creation of the Gods.  Many titles to tell “the historical story of the political turmoil at the end of the Shang Dynasty and the war of King Wu against the merchants, and there are many descriptions of the fighting methods of the immortals and Buddhas.” [From the press release by China Post].

Each description is from the China Post news release.

• Su Daji enters the palace 苏妲己进宫
  shows the scene of Su Daji’s first entry into the court song to meet the king of Su, Daji is wearing a red dress, her posture is enchanting, and the white fox wrapped around her is a metaphor for Su Daji’s original fox demon form. The fox’s fur glows mysteriously under the fluorescent light

• Lei Zhenzi saves his father 雷震子救父
  Lei Zhenzi’s blue body and red hair, flying into the air with his father Zhou Wen and Wang Jichang on his back, and there are chasing troops in the distance. The images of King Zhou Wen and Lei Zhenzi are enriched through fluorescent effects, adding a three-dimensional sense to the characters.

• King Wen of Zhou’s visit the Sage 周文王访贤
  King Wen of Zhou looks for the sage according to the interpretation of his dream, and finally seeing Jiang Ziya fishing with a straight needle by the Wei River. The scene of Jiang Ziya fishing appears more peaceful and profound under the fluorescent light.
  
• King Wucheng rebels against the merchants 武成王反商
  Wucheng Wang Huang Feihu riding a five-colored divine bull, and soldiers in the distance lined up in formation, combining movement and stillness, and complementing density. The main character’s mount is vivid under the fluorescent light.

• Miniature sheet Nezha’s Trouble in the East Sea 哪吒闹东海
  Nezha holding the Qiankun Circle and wearing the Hun Tian Ling, fighting with the Dragon King’s Third Prince in the air. The stamp picture forms a dynamic visual effect of a revolving lantern. The golden sea water is made of rich colors and golden ink, and the glossy texture of the water surface is fully displayed. The dragon body and the Qiankun Circle are designed with fluorescent craft effects 

Investiture of the Gods (commonly known as The Romance of the Fengshen, also known as Complete History of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Unofficial History of King Wu’s Conquest of King Zhou, Investiture of the Gods, etc.) is a long novel written by Xu Zhonglin (controversial) in the Ming Dynasty, and was completed around the Longqing and Wanli years. Investiture of the Gods has 100 chapters, telling the story of King Wu’s conquest of King Zhou.

The first 30 chapters focus on King Zhou’s tyranny, Jiang Ziya’s retreat, King Wen’s visit to the wise, and with the assistance of Jiang Ziya, King Wu was able to complete the great cause of conquering King Zhou. The last 70 chapters mainly describe the war between Shang and Zhou, and are mixed with religious struggles. The Chan Sect helped Zhou, and the Jie Sect helped Shang. Each showed their Taoist skills and killed each other. As a result, the Jie Sect failed, King Zhou was vicious and burned himself to death, King Wu seized the world and divided the countries, Jiang Ziya returned to the country to invest the gods, so that people and ghosts who had made contributions to the country each had their own place. This novel is supported by historical concepts and political concepts throughout. 
The original text of the Romance of the Gods-Translation-Author of the Fengshen ListXu Zhonglin – Fengshen Bang-Dream of Chinese Studies (guoxuemeng.com)

I think the translations are right. I worked with a number of Chinese sources and switched between a couple translators. If you spot any errors please let me know. 

You can find the story here  The original text of the Romance of the Gods-Translation-Author of the Fengshen ListXu Zhonglin – Fengshen Bang-Dream of Chinese Studies (guoxuemeng.com). Use a translator. Keep in mind most stories and poems don’t translate well with computer generated translators. The works tend to lose any nuances found in the original. At best, this will give you a general idea about the story. 
Please keep in mind, the translated version seems to lose its beautiful layout.  Computers don’t care about symmetry. 

Designers/artists: Bian Kai, Wang Yimeng, Peng Chuyue  | 设计者：边凯、王亿萌、彭楚月  

Release date: July 13, 2024 

33rd Olympic Games

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 12
offset

Designers: Shen Jiahong, Shang Ying | 沈嘉宏、尚盈

Release date: July 26, 2024

August

Mogao Grottoes
second in series

4 stamps, 1 stamp on mini sheet, 4 sheets of 16
offset

The Mogao Caves was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

• Beiliang Maitreya Bodhisattva statue 
• Tang Waki’s Bodhisattva statue  
• Tang Tianwang statue 
• Tang Offering to the Bodhisattva statue 
• Miniature sheet Sui Shakya Buddha 

Carved into the cliffs above the Dachuan River, the Mogao Caves south-east of the Dunhuang oasis, Gansu Province, comprise the largest, most richly endowed, and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art in the world. It was first constructed in 366AD and represents the great achievement of Buddhist art from the 4th to the 14th century. 492 caves are presently preserved, housing about 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures. Cave 302 of the Sui dynasty contains one of the oldest and most vivid scenes of cultural exchanges along the Silk Road, depicting a camel pulling a cart typical of trade missions of that period. Caves 23 and 156 of the Tang dynasty show workers in the fields and a line of warriors respectively and in the Song dynasty Cave 61, the celebrated landscape of Mount Wutai is an early example of artistic Chinese cartography, where nothing has been left out – mountains, rivers, cities, temples, roads and caravans are all depicted. 
Mogao Caves – UNESCO World Heritage Centre

The first set of Mogao Grottoe stamps was released in 2020.  Northern Wei Dynasty Shakya Meditation Statue, Northern Wei Dynasty Shadow Sculpture Feitian, Buddha and Bodhisattva statue of Western Wei Dynasty, Tang Bodhisattva seated statue, and Tang Shakya Buddha (mini sheet)

Designer: Xia Jingqiu | 夏竞秋
Designer mini sheet: Ma Lihang | 马立航

Release date: August 3, 2024 

Selected Contemporary Art Works
third in series

3 stamps, 3 sheets of 12
offset

• Old snow freezes through the ages 老雪凝千古　(1988) Donated to the National Art Museum of China in 2017 by Ms. Li Zhao, Zhang Ding’s wife. 
• White clouds and yellow cranes 白云黄鹤 (1984)
• My motherland, my people 我的祖国·我的人民 (2003)
  Artwork now held at the National Art Museum of China

Artists: 
Zhang Ding 图 张仃 (1917-2010) 
“…former president of the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts (now the Academy of Fine Arts of Tsinghua University), an outstanding revolutionary literary artist and art educator. Mr. Zhang Ding is a firm inheritor of contemporary China, a loyal builder of the red revolutionary culture, an outstanding practitioner of the advanced socialist culture, and a forerunner, pioneer and advocate of the creation and development of Chinese culture in our era”. Zhang Ding’s Centennial Commemorative Exhibition_Artron Exhibition

Zhou Lingzhao (1919-2023) and Chen Ruoju (1927-2013) | 图 周令钊、陈若菊
Husband and wife team. They painted the famous portrait of Mao that hangs at Tiananmen Gate Tower, commissioned for the 1949 founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China. 

“At the time that new China was founded, Mr. Zhou Lingzhao undertook a great number of important art design works with ardor. With his wife Chen Ruoju, they painted the portrait of Chairman Mao Zedong at the Founding Ceremony of the Nation, highlighting his high spirit while celebrating the birth of new China. He participated in the design of the emblem of the People’s Republic of China, the emblem of the CPPCC and the flag of Young Pioneers of China. He is the chief designer of the flag of the Communist Youth League, Order of August 1 of the PLA, Order of Independence and Freedom, Order of Liberation, and the second to the fourth edition of RMB bills. He is one of the main artists that participated in the construction of the visual image of new China. With brand-new art image, he ‘designed’ brand-new national image, brimming with the contemporary spirit of the rise of new China and Chinese people.

Mr. Zhou Lingzhao is versatile in art creation. He cares about change of the time and new atmosphere of contemporary life, creating a great number of innovative works with multiple artistic forms and languages. His oil painting May 4th Movement recreates the important historical events in modern China, and is regarded as a representative 1950s revolutionary history painting. He digs deep into life, maintains close relationship with the people, travels around the country, and represents social construction, production and labor, the natural scenery of China and the life of people in the form of sketch, water color, gouache, ink and color painting, oil painting, publicity poster and illustration. His works are brimmed with vigor and poetic freshness. He concentrates on the studies of folk art, and initiates a decorative modern folk art style with innovations in composition, modeling, color and lines. He devotes himself to the revival of mural art. His murals, from Unification of World People in the 1950s, to White Cloud and Yellow Crane created in the beginning of the Reform and Opening-up, have become representation of Chinese Mural Art’s exploration in the new national art style.”
Art for a New China: A Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Professor Zhou Lingzhao’s Birth CAFA Art Museum (cafamuseum.org)

Huang Yongyu | 图 黄永玉 (1924-2023)
“Wang Yingsheng, a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, said: “Without a grand historical narrative or intense emotional rendering, the work “My Motherland· My People” uses a tranquil, soothing and quiet emotion to bring the viewer into the tranquil time and space created by the painter. Mr. Huang Yongyu used brisk and elegant lines, brushstrokes and colors to sketch a gorgeous picture like a dream, and used colors that symbolize new life to collide and sway on the picture, so that people can feel the vigor of life and the hope of a better tomorrow. ” 
The history of the party in the works of art | Episode 72 “My Motherland· My People”–Cultural Tourism· Sports–People’s Daily Online

Designer: Xing Wenwei 邢文伟
Engraver:  Liu Minghui 刘明慧

Release date: August 9, 2024

Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Comrade Deng Xiaoping

4 stamps, souvenir sheet, 4 sheets of 12 
photogravure 

Four periods from Deng Xiaoping’s life are explored: 

• Work-study program
• Military years
• Science Spring
• Reform and opening up

Designer: the collective design from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (Lin Mao, Sun Cong, Hao Ninghui, Zhang Yibo, Xu Jiafu, Xia Libin, Cai Haokun) 
Edge designer: Li Linlan, Luo Yunze, Han Jinhong

设计者：中央美术学院集体创作（执笔：林茂、孙聪、郝凝辉、张义波、徐家夫、夏理斌、蔡昊坤）
边饰设计者：李琳岚、罗允泽、韩瑾鸿

Release date: August 22, 2024 

September

Beautiful China 
4th in series

• Shanghai Yangtze River estuary 
• Jilin Songhua Lake  
• Yuncheng Salt Lake  
• Pingxiang Wugong Mountain  
• Lhasa Namtso  
• Dachaidan Wusute (water) Yadan

Designer: Ma Lihang  马立航

Release date: September 5, 2024

70th Anniversary of the Founding of the National People’s Congress

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 12
offset with embossing

Designers: collaborative design by Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University (Chen Lei, Huang Yilei, Shao Wenqin) and overseen by Wen Wenya
该套邮票由清华大学美术学院集体创作（执笔：陈磊、黄伊磊、邵文沁），责任编辑温文雅.

Release date: September 15, 2024 

Daocheng Aden – A Pure Land on a Blue Planet

4 stamps, souvenir sheet, 4 sheets of 11
offset

• Xia Nuo Duoji 夏诺多吉　　
• Luo Rong Niuchang 　洛绒牛场
• Wuse Hai 五色海
• Xian Nai Ri 仙乃日 

• Zhang Yang Maiyong 小型张　　　央迈勇 

Designer: Wang Huming 王虎鸣 

Release date: September 28, 2024 

Martyrs’ Day

1 stamp, sheets of 12
engraving overprint

Designer: Hao Ou, Yu Qiuyan | 郝欧、于秋艳 
Engraver: Hao Ou 郝欧

Release date: September 30, 2024 

October

150th Anniversary of the Founding of the Universal Postal Union

1 stamp, sheets of 12
offset

This year the UPU celebrates 150 years making international communication smoother. Many countries have released a stamp with a common design element and I will be creating a page exploring the design later in November. 

Designer: Jiang Wei 蒋蔚

Release date: October 9, 2024

Modern Chinese Writers

6 stamps, 3 sheets of 16 (2 x 8 per sheet)
offset

• Lu Xun 鲁迅 – Lu Xun (1881-1936) was a novelist, critic, lecturer and poet. 
  has appeared on 6 different stamp series for China. The first was issued on the 15th anniversary of his death in 1951
  
• Guo Moruo 郭沫若  (1892-1978) – one of China’s leading authors of the 20th century. Appeared on a stamp in 1982 with the 90th Birthday of Guo Moruo 
  
• Mao Dun 茅盾  – modernist novelist, literary critic. Previous stamp issued in 1986 
  
• Ba Jin 巴金 – novelist, activist, translator. Also penned 3 novels in Esperanto.
• Lao She 老舍 – novelist, dramatist 
• Cao Yu 曹禺 – one of China’s great 20th century playwrights. 
  There doesn’t seem to be any stamps for the last three writers.  

The Museum of Modern Chinese Literature can be found here Museum of Modern Chinese Literature. Use a translator and enjoy. 

Designer: Zhao Jiancheng 赵建成 with help from Museum of Modern Chinese Literature

Release date: October 15, 2024 

60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and France

2 stamps, 2 sheets of 12
offset

• Taishan 
• Mont Saint-Michel

Designers: Wang Yuliang, Sandrine Sambo (France) 王玉良、桑德琳·珊博（法国）
Edges on sheet designed by Wang Huming 王虎鸣

Release date: October 18, 2024

100th Anniversary of the Founding of Ocean University of China

1 stamp, sheet of 10
offset

Designer: Chen Jingyi and Xia Jingqiu 陈景异、夏竞秋

Release date: October 25, 2024

November

100th Anniversary of the Founding of Sun Yat-sen University

1 stamp, sheet of 10
offset

Designer: Zhang Qiang 张强

Release date: November 12, 2024

Chinese New Year – Snake Leaping Spring  and Spirit Snake Sending Blessings 

2 stamps
photowriting

China issues a set of Lunar New Year stamp in November of each year, as a prelude to the larger set that will be released in January, This year’s design was created by Guo Zhenshan 郭振山. Guo has held a number of roles at   Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, including professor and VP. 

Previous stamp designs by Guo include Isle of Mann’s 2015 and 2016 Lunar New Year sets as well as Social Development to Create the Future,  The Eighth Games of the People’s Republic of China, International Year of Older Persons, Ertan Hydropower Station and 2002 FIFA World Cup. 

Designer: Guo Zhenshan 郭振山

Release date: November 22, 2024

2024 Asian International Stamp Exhibition

4 stamps, 4 sheets of 10, souvenir sheet
offset

The 2024 AISE was held in Shanghai Exhibition Center from November 29 to December 3, 2024. The theme of China’s special stamps was the People’s Republic of China’s 75th anniversary.   

Combined with the five themes of this year’s Asian Exhibition, this set of stamps adopts five design techniques, respectively showing Shanghai’s representative cultural relics, brilliant cultural charm, philatelic fun, urban scenery and other aspects, the picture composition is rich, the layout is harmonious and beautiful, full of rhythm and rhythm. Stamp printing adheres to the concept of technology serving art, and process design serves the extension of stamp themes and the rendering of design style. A three-dimensional convex figure shows the three-dimensional relief effect of Da Keding; The two pictures are colorful hot stamping, highlighting the brilliant charm of Shanghai in the past century; The temperature of the three pictures reaches more than 45 degrees, and interesting hidden patterns can be found; The traditional carving of the four pictures shows the sense of heaviness and layering of the century-old building. The color of the supple light and the morning glow of the Pujiang River complement each other, and a different perspective can show the blooming flowers and bright neon lights of the Pujiang River at night. In addition, the special process souvenir sheet produced by the chip is combined with the chip technology, and the mobile phone with NFC function is close to the location of the Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower, which can light up the “pearl” and read the chip information.
“China 2024 Asian International Stamp Exhibition” Commemorative Stamps – China Post Group Co., Ltd

Designers: Xia Jingqiu (first stamp), Wang Chen (second stamp), Shaozong (third stamp), Pan hu (fourth stamp) 一图夏竞秋，二图王晨，三图景绍宗，四图潘虎

Souvenir sheet designer: Wang Huming 王虎鸣 

Release date: November 29, 2024