Scott No: 919
Serial number: C120
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: November 12, 1966
Denomination: 8 fen
Designer: Yang Baizi
Size of stamps: 26.5*36mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 50(10*5)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

C120 "Centenary of the Birth of Sun Yat-sen" commemorative stamp was issued on November 12, 1966. The set consists of 1 stamp, printed by photogravure, designed by Yang Baizi, 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 and a circulation of 3.9 million copies.

Theme of the Set

Sun Yat-sen was a great forerunner of the democratic revolution. He led the Revolution of 1911 and overthrew the feudal monarchy, holding an extremely important place in modern Chinese history. 1966 marked the centenary of Sun Yat-sen's birth, and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications chose the birthday anniversary to issue this commemorative stamp, honoring Mr. Sun Yat-sen's historical achievements for national independence and social progress. This stamp is the second-to-last Ji-prefix stamp among the old Ji-te stamps; shortly after its issuance, the Ji-te numbering was discontinued and the postal service shifted to the Wen-prefix stamp stage, giving it a special place in the closing sequence of Ji-te stamps. The process of finalizing the stamp design was rather tortuous: the initial plan was reviewed, and after seeing the first draft, Soong Ching-ling felt that the portrait's facial features differed from Sun Yat-sen's actual appearance and brought out her treasured Ji 90 "50th Anniversary of the Revolution of 1911" stamp as a reference, suggesting that its portrait style be consulted. After weighing the options, the designer did not directly reuse the old draft but readjusted the picture anew, switching to photogravure with a soft pale yellow background, and finally finalized and issued it.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

Portrait of Sun Yat-sen

The main subject of the design is a half-length portrait of Sun Yat-sen wearing a Zhongshan suit, with a dignified and calm expression and a peaceful yet firm gaze. The background is a uniform, soft pale yellow that sets off the figure well. At the top of the stamp, printed horizontally, is the stamp title "Centenary of the Birth of Sun Yat-sen"; below the portrait are the birth and death years "1866–1966"; the face value numeral is placed in the lower left corner, and the inscription "China People's Post" in the lower right corner. The composition is simple and restrained, without superfluous decoration, placing all emphasis on the portrait itself and expressing the commemorative meaning in a plain and dignified way.

Artistic Design Features

The stamp format is vertical, with proportions suited to a half-length portrait and a balanced, steady composition. The photogravure printing has delicate layers and soft transitions, weakening strong contrasts and creating a solemn, peaceful commemorative atmosphere. The background color is pale beige, different from the intense bright red of many stamps of the same period, with a style all its own. The portrait lines are soft, and the facial light and shadow transition naturally, without the exaggerated expressiveness of posters, leaning toward a realistic and dignified portrait-photograph style.

The stamp's face value was the standard domestic ordinary mail rate at the time, and a considerable number entered postal circulation; after long-term communication consumption, well-preserved examples are not commonly seen.