Scott No: 1307-09
Serial number: J12
Values in set: 3
Date of issue: January 31, 1977
Denomination: 24 fen
Designer: Ye Wulin
Size of stamps: 31*52mm
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition: 40(10*4)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Issued on 31 January 1977, the set contains three stamps, printed in photogravure, designed by Ye Wulin and produced by Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size: 30mm × 40mm; perforation: 11.5 × 11; sheet composition: 50 stamps (10 × 5); total face value: RMB 0.24 yuan; each stamp bears a face value of 8 fen with a print run of 20 million.

Main Theme of the Set

Liu Hulan was a renowned young revolutionary martyr. On 12 January 1947, she bravely laid down her life in Wenshui, Shanxi Province, at the age of fifteen. The year 1977 marked the thirtieth anniversary of her sacrifice, and this set was issued in her memory. Comrade Mao Zedong wrote for her the inscription: "A life of greatness, a death of glory." Through three panels — the inscription, the martyr's image, and the carrying forward of her behest — the stamps extol Liu Hulan's unyielding integrity in the face of the enemy and her readiness to embrace death, inspiring young people to learn from her revolutionary spirit and hold firm to their ideals and convictions.

Stamp Designs and Historical Context

Portrait of Martyr Liu Hulan

The stamp presents a half-length portrait of Liu Hulan, her expression resolute and intrepid, set against a background dotted with pines. The pine symbolises the everlasting vitality of the martyr's spirit, solemnly depicting the image of the young heroine.

Chairman Mao's Inscription

The stamp bears Mao Zedong's handwritten inscription "A life of greatness, a death of glory" in gold characters on a red ground, rendered in vigorous and forceful calligraphy. It is the highest praise bestowed upon Martyr Liu Hulan and forms the central theme of the whole set.

Carry Forward Liu Hulan's Revolutionary Spirit

The stamp depicts boys and girls marching forward, holding aloft a red flag, with the Liu Hulan Monument in the background. The younger generation remembers the martyr, inherits the hero's spirit and resolves to press bravely ahead along the revolutionary road.

Artistic Features of the Design

All three stamps adopt a uniform vertical format in a solemn, orderly layout. The first two use a red ground to set off the portrait and the inscription, creating a dignified and striking effect; the third takes the form of a poster in bright, vibrant colours full of youthful spirit. Photogravure printing yields pure, weighty reds and clean, crisp lines. There is no souvenir sheet for this set. It stands as a representative commemorative stamp on the theme of young heroes from the JT period.