Scott No: 833
Serial number: C113
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: June 21, 1965
Denomination: 8 fen
Designer: Li Hu, Lu Tianjiao
Size of stamps: 26.5*36mm
Perforation: 11.5*11
Sheet composition: 50(10*5)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

C113 "The Sixth Conference of Postal Ministers of Socialist Countries" commemorative stamp was issued on June 21, 1965. The set consists of 1 stamp, printed by photogravure, designed by Li Hu and Lu Tianjiao, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size 26.5 mm × 36 mm, perforation gauge 11.5 × 11, 50 stamps per sheet (10 × 5), with a face value of 8 fen, a total face value of 0.08 yuan for the set, and a circulation of 5.5 million copies.

Theme of the Set

The Sixth Conference of Postal Ministers of Socialist Countries was held in Beijing from June 21 to July 15, 1965, with postal delegations from thirteen socialist countries attending. The conference aimed to strengthen cooperation among the postal and telecommunications departments of the various countries, advance the exchange of communications technology, coordinate postal and telecommunications service standards, and better give play to the role of postal and telecommunications undertakings in serving socialist construction and safeguarding world peace. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued this stamp on the opening day of the conference to commemorate this grand gathering and express the theme of the socialist camp's unity and cooperation under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

Advancing Under the Banner of Marxism-Leninism

The main tone of the design is an intense bright red. At the top are the side-by-side portraits of Marx and Lenin, depicted with dignity and expressiveness. The lower part of the design shows surging crowds and red flags fluttering in the wind, converging into a sea of flags and setting off a warm and high-spirited atmosphere. On the right side of the stamp are printed vertically the stamp title "The Sixth Conference of Postal Ministers of Socialist Countries" and the words "1965 · Beijing"; at the bottom are placed the inscription, face value, and serial designation, making clear the commemorative theme.

Artistic Design Features

The stamp adopts a vertical composition, with clear primary and secondary emphasis. The leader portraits serve as the visual core, and the red flags and masses below play a setting-off and rendering role, symbolizing the strength of unity and striving forward. The photogravure printing has weighty, saturated colors; the red background is transparent and bright, and the portraits' light-and-shadow layers transition softly. The design discards complicated postal and telecommunications equipment symbols, using the classic combination of flags, group figures, and leader portraits to highlight the conference's political theme, with a dignified and imposing style.