Scott No: 732-736
Serial number: C100
Values in set: 5
Date of issue: November 11, 1963
Denomination: 42 fen
Designer: Sun Chaunzhe, Wu Jiankun, Zhou Lingzhao
Engraver: Gao Pinzhang, Sun Hongnian, Tang Linshen, Kong Shaohui
Size of stamps:
23*35mm for Value 1, 2, 4, 5;
48.5*27mm for Value 3
Perforation:
11 for Value 1, 2, 4, 5;
11.5 for Value 3
Sheet composition:
70(10*7) for Value 1, 2, 4, 5;
50(5*10) for Value 3
Printing process:
Engraving and photogravure for Value 1, 2, 4, 5;
Photogravure for Value 3
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

C100 "The First Games of the New Emerging Forces" commemorative stamps were issued on November 17, 1963. The set consists of 5 stamps, designed by Sun Chuanzhe, Wu Jiankun, and Zhou Lingzhao, engraved by Sun Hongnian, Kong Shaohui, Gao Pinzhang, and Tang Linkun, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. The first four measure 23 mm × 35 mm, perforation gauge 11, 70 stamps per sheet (10 × 7), printed by photogravure combined with engraving; the fifth measures 48.5 mm × 27 mm, perforation gauge 11.5, 50 stamps per sheet (5 × 10), printed by photogravure; the total face value of the set is 0.42 yuan; circulations: 8-fen Football 4 million copies, 8-fen Discus 4 million copies, 8-fen Diving 4 million copies, 8-fen Gymnastics 4 million copies, and 10-fen Great Unity of the New Emerging Forces 3 million copies.

Theme of the Set

The First Games of the New Emerging Forces were an international comprehensive sports gala founded on the initiative of Indonesian President Sukarno, held in Jakarta from November 10 to 22, 1963, with athletes from forty-eight countries and regions in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America participating. This event was aimed at the broad masses of newly independent countries, advocating breaking down the old international sports barriers and gathering the strength of developing countries. China sent a delegation to participate and issued this set, selecting four competitive events and concluding with the theme of unity, both displaying the vitality of sports and expressing the vision of the new emerging forces of all countries advancing hand in hand in equality and friendship.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Football

The design shows a football player running and controlling the ball, wearing a jersey, striding forward with a posture full of explosive power. Football is the ball sport with the highest popularity worldwide and was a key competition event of these Games; the lines are crisp, capturing the dynamism of competition on the field.

Discus

The women's track-and-field discus event: the athlete turns sideways, at the moment of gathering strength before throwing the discus. The discus is a classic track-and-field event, displaying strength and the rhythm of the human body; the posture is extended, freezing the beauty of track-and-field power.

Diving

Men's platform diving: the athlete stands at the front edge of the platform, body straight, preparing to leap into the air. Diving has extremely high demands on technique and posture and was also a water sport that China focused on developing at the time; the picture is concise and clean, full of tension before the leap.

Gymnastics

Women's gymnastics: the athlete completes a split leap in midair, with a light, extended posture. Gymnastics emphasizes flexibility, balance, and beauty, embodying the athlete's superb body control; the colors are bright, full of youthful vitality.

Great Unity of the New Emerging Forces

The finale horizontal stamp of the set and the core theme of the whole set. Athletes from different countries on all continents walk forward arm in arm and side by side, with stretches of palm trees and red flags fluttering in the wind in the background; the palm trees echo the tropical appearance of the host country, Indonesia. The picture implies that athletes of the emerging countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, regardless of region, are united together, symbolizing that the new emerging forces converge into an irresistible tide.

Artistic Design Features

The four individual sports stamps uniformly adopt a vertical format and photogravure combined with engraving; the engraved lines are solid and concise, shaping the athletes' dynamics with line-drawing outlines, paired with a single main color, clean and refreshing, focusing on highlighting the beauty of the human body's athletic postures. The final unity-themed stamp changes to a horizontal photogravure design, with a full and passionate picture, forming a contrast of motion and stillness and of separation and union with the first four.