Scott No: 1477-78
Serial number: J38
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: May 25, 1979
Denomination: 68 fen
Designer: Zou Jianjun
Size of stamps: 31*52mm
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition: 40(10*4)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

J38 "International Year of the Child" commemorative stamps were issued on May 25, 1979. The set consists of 2 stamps, printed by photogravure, designed by Zou Jianjun, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size 31 mm × 52 mm, perforation gauge 11.5, 40 stamps per sheet.

Theme of the Set

The United Nations designated 1979 as the International Year of the Child, calling on all countries to pay attention to children's rights and interests, promote children's welfare, education, and protection, and hoping that children of the world will grow up healthily in a peaceful environment. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued this set in response to the United Nations initiative, conveying the concept of equal care for children regardless of race and carrying the beautiful wishes for world peace and the well-being of the young.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

International Year of the Child Emblem

The background color is blue. At the top is the official emblem of the International Year of the Child, composed of the image of a mother embracing a child and olive branches, symbolizing care and peace. Below are five children of different skin colors holding hands and jointly pulling colorful balloons, full of childlike vitality, implying that children of the world are united in friendship and share peace.

Growing Up Happily

With a warm pink background, the design depicts the smiling faces of children of white, yellow, and black skin colors, surrounded by blooming fresh flowers, with the emblem of the International Year of the Child printed in the upper right corner. The flowers symbolize beauty and hope, expressing the common expectation that all children have a happy childhood and grow up healthily.

Artistic Design Features

The set uniformly adopts a vertical long stamp format, with bright, vivid colors full of childlike charm. It uses a decorative painting style, with generalized, soft forms and high color saturation with sharp contrasts. The two stamps, one cool and one warm, with one focusing on the theme of global unity and peace and the other on children themselves and the vision of happiness, echo each other. The photogravure printing is transparent and bright. It is a work of fresh style and warm meaning among children's-themed stamps of the JT period.