Scott No: 696-701
Serial number: S53
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: June 15, 1963
Denomination: 122 fen
Designer: Ni Changming, Lu Tianjiao
Size of stamps: 24*33mm
Perforation: 12.5
Sheet composition: 50(10*5)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

S53 "Chinese Folk Dances (Series II)" special stamps were issued on June 15, 1963. The set consists of 6 stamps, printed by offset combined with relief printing, with original paintings by Ni Changming, designed by Lu Tianjiao, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size 28.5 mm × 38 mm, perforation gauge 12.5, 50 stamps per sheet (10 × 5), without gum, with a total face value of 1.22 yuan for the set; circulations: 4-fen Bouyei Weaving Dance 3 million copies, 8-fen Kazakh Duet Dance 5 million copies, 10-fen Oroqen Oroqen Dance 2 million copies, 20-fen Gaoshan Labor Dance 1 million copies, 30-fen Miao Lusheng Dance 1 million copies, and 50-fen Korean Fan Dance 1 million copies.

Theme of the Set

This is the second group of the folk dance series, following Special 49, with a third group, Special 55, to follow; the three sets share a unified style and are a highly renowned ethnic-themed series among the old Ji-te stamps. The set selects six representative traditional dances of different ethnic groups, covering vast regions such as the southwest, northwest, northeast, Taiwan, and Yanbian, integrating labor, hunting, festivals, and social interaction into the dance postures, using dance pictures to display the unique customs and temperaments of each ethnic group and expressing the theme of ethnic unity and the colorful diversity of ethnic cultures. Ni Changming's original paintings carry a strong decorative painting style, and Lu Tianjiao transformed them into stamp pictures with concise, lively forms and bright colors; each dance preserves its native folk core.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Bouyei Weaving Dance

In the picture two Bouyei dancers dance in cooperation, imitating a series of movements of spinning, drawing thread, and weaving. The weaving dance originates from the Bouyei communities of Qiannan, Guizhou, and evolved from women's weaving labor; the dance postures imitate the shuttle and threading, turning daily textile labor into a light, graceful dance. It is an artistic miniature of Bouyei farming life, full of plain daily-life flavor.

Kazakh Duet Dance

A Kazakh man and woman dance as a pair: the man holds a dombra and sings to its accompaniment, and the woman whirls and dances to the sound of the instrument. The dance is popular on the Xinjiang grasslands, with a bright, expansive rhythm and postures carrying the bold, unrestrained temperament of a nomadic people. The dombra is the most representative plucked instrument of the Kazakhs; music and dance accompany each other, expressing the carefree singing and festive scenes of grassland herdsmen.

Oroqen Oroqen Dance

Two Oroqen hunters dance hand in hand, with vigorous, short movements imitating the postures of riding, chasing prey, and catching wild animals. The Oroqen have hunted in the Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains for generations; after returning from the hunt, the clansmen gather to dance this collective dance, expressing the joy of a bountiful hunt. The dance is rough and powerful, carrying the brave, bold qualities of mountain-forest hunters.

Gaoshan Labor Dance

The picture shows Gaoshan men and women dancers, with movements drawn from farming labor such as sowing, harvesting, and pounding rice. This dance is spread among the Gaoshan ethnic groups of Taiwan, taking labor movements as its skeleton, with a neat rhythm; it is a vivid portrayal of the island indigenous farming culture, embodying the diligent and optimistic spiritual outlook of the Gaoshan people.

Miao Lusheng Dance

Two Miao dancers: one plays the lusheng, and the other dances gracefully to the lusheng melody. The lusheng is the most important instrument of the Miao in the southwest; at festivals and huashan gatherings, when the lusheng music sounds, everyone dances in a circle. The dance steps change with the lusheng tunes, whirling and leaping; it is the most core artistic form of Miao festival culture, warm and joyful.

Korean Fan Dance

The finale of the set: a Korean woman dancer holds colored fans, opening and closing and whirling, her sleeves spreading out and flowing. The fan dance is a classic traditional Korean dance, using folding fans as props, with gentle, elegant postures and composed rises and falls; it is often performed at festivals and celebrations, combining grace and dignity, with an expansive, imposing picture.

Artistic Design Features

The set uniformly adopts a horizontal format, with a soft light beige background like backing paper, highlighting the figures. With the offset-plus-relief printing process, the relief plates press out clear, solid lines for the figures' outlines and clothing patterns, while the offset plates apply flat colors; the color blocks are clean and bright, without elaborate light-and-shadow shading, approaching the effect of paper-cutting and decorative prints. The six stamps are arranged in sequence with a coordinated style—six ethnic groups, six temperaments, one dance, one appearance.