Scott No: 1493-97
Serial number: J43, J43m
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: September 15, 1979
Denomination: 32 fen
Designer of stamps: Fa Naiguang
Size of stamps: 60*20mm
Perforation: 11.5*11
Sheet composition: 50(5*10)
Designer of S/S: Lu Tianjiao
Size of S/S: 57*62mm
Stamp of S/S: 26*31mm
Perforation: 11.5
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

J43 "The Fourth National Games of the People's Republic of China" commemorative stamps were issued on September 15, 1979. The set consists of 4 stamps, printed by photogravure, designed by Fa Naiguang, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size 60 mm × 20 mm, perforation gauge 11.5 × 11, 50 stamps per sheet, printed as a four-stamp se-tenant strip. J43M souvenir sheet, designed by Lu Tianjiao, was issued on the same day.

Theme of the Set

The Fourth National Games were held in Beijing from September 15 to 30, 1979. It was a grand national comprehensive sports gala in the early period of reform and opening up, including more than thirty adult competition events and youth group events, and during the games a large-scale group calisthenics performance "The New Long March" was staged. Coinciding with the eve of China's return to the International Olympic Committee, this set concentrates on presenting the vigorous appearance of domestic sports events, displaying the athletes' spirit of striving to be first, and carrying the vision of the sports cause marching toward a new journey.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Emblem, Running, Volleyball, Weightlifting

In concise line drawing, the design presents in sequence the emblem of these National Games, track running, volleyball, and weightlifting. The torch emblem indicates the theme of the games, and the three competitive events are full of a sense of power.

Football, Badminton, High Jump, Skating

The design depicts dynamic silhouettes of football, badminton, high jump, and skating athletes, covering ball sports, track and field, and ice and snow events, enriching the range of events.

Fencing, Skiing, Gymnastics, Diving

The design presents fencing, skiing, gymnastics, and diving, including skill-based, ice-and-snow, and water events, with expansive and lively postures.

Motorcycle, Table Tennis, Basketball, Archery

The design shows motorcycle, table tennis, basketball, and archery, covering distinctive racing, ball sports, and archery events, with each sport's movement form having its own characteristics.

Souvenir Sheet

The main subject of the souvenir sheet is the emblem of the Fourth National Games, with a torch paired with track patterns and the year 1979 printed. The border is surrounded by patterns of twelve kinds of sports equipment, with an elegant layout setting off the grand atmosphere of the games.

Artistic Design Features

The set adopts a narrow horizontal stamp format and a four-stamp se-tenant strip, a highly recognizable design highlight of this set. It uniformly uses a line-drawing silhouette style, with concise and smooth lines; each event captures its signature movement, intuitively expressing the dynamism of the sport. The four stamps have different background colors, distinguishing the sections, neat and orderly. The photogravure printing is clean and neat, and the forms are generalized and powerful. The souvenir sheet is in a class of its own, with the emblem as the core and the border using sports equipment symbols to set off the theme. It is a highly distinctive set among JT sports-themed stamps.