Scott No: 405-406
Serial number: C59
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: March 8, 1959
Denomination: 30 fen
Designer: Lu Tianjiao
Engraver: Tang Linshen, Gao Pinzhang
Size of stamps: 24*29.5mm
Perforation: 14
Sheet composition: 110(11*10)
Printing process: Engraving and offset
Printing House: Beijing People's Printing Works

C59 "March 8 International Women's Day" commemorative stamps were issued on March 8, 1959. The set consists of 2 stamps, printed by offset combined with engraving, designed by Lu Tianjiao, engraved by Tang Linkun and Gao Pinzhang, and printed by the Beijing People's Printing Factory. Stamp size 24 mm × 29.5 mm, perforation gauge 14, 110 stamps per sheet (11 × 10), with a total face value of 0.30 yuan for the set; Workers, Peasants, Traders, Students, and Soldiers 8 fen, circulation 7.5 million copies; Great Unity of Women of the World 22 fen, circulation 2.5 million copies.

Theme of the Set

March 8 International Women's Day is the commemorative day on which women of the whole world strive for equality, peace, and liberation. Women in New China widely participated in construction in all walks of life, and their social status rose greatly. This set, on the one hand, displays the appearance of domestic women devoting themselves to socialist construction, and on the other hand, expresses the beautiful vision of women of all countries joining hands in unity and striving together for women's rights and interests. It is the second commemorative stamp set on the theme of Women's Day since the founding of the People's Republic.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Workers, Peasants, Traders, Students, and Soldiers

The design depicts five images of women of New China from different trades, representing workers, peasants, traders, students, and soldiers respectively, with factory chimneys and radiating rosy light in the background, symbolizing women in all walks of life striving side by side and actively devoting themselves to national construction, displaying the era's appearance of "men and women are the same" and women holding up half the sky of construction.

Great Unity of Women of the World

At the center of the design two women jointly raise colored ribbons forming the characters "3·8," with groups of women from different countries clustered behind them, likewise set off by radiating rosy light. It implies that women of the whole world, regardless of national boundaries or race, are united together, helping and watching over one another, and striving together for women's liberation and world peace.

Artistic Design Features

The set uniformly adopts a horizontal format and offset combined with engraving; the engraved lines are clear and powerful, suited to presenting group portraits of figures. The two stamps differ distinctly in color: the first is mainly green, vigorous and high-spirited, corresponding to domestic construction; the second is mainly red, passionate and dignified, highlighting the theme of international unity. The compositions are full, the figures plain and vivid, and the radiating lines of rosy light strengthen the sense of upward strength, combining the era's flavor of propaganda posters with the uniquely exquisite texture of engraved stamps. The 22-fen high-denomination stamp has a small circulation and is more difficult to collect.