Scott No: 1711-1715
Serial number: T64
Values in set: 5
Date of issue: September 18, 1981
Denomination: 104 fen
Designer: Ren Yu
Size of stamps:
52*31mm for Value 1, 2, 3;
31*52mm for Value 4, 5
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition:
40 (4*10) for Value 1, 2, 3;
40 (10*4) for Value 4, 5
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T64 "Stone Forest" special stamps were issued on September 18, 1981. The set consists of 5 stamps, printed by photogravure, designed by Ren Yu, with original oil paintings by Zhan Jianjun, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Perforation gauge 11.5; (1)(2)(3) measure 52 mm × 31 mm, 40 stamps per sheet; (4)(5) measure 31 mm × 52 mm, 40 stamps per sheet.

Theme of the Set

This set draws on the Stone Forest in Lunan, Yunnan, a world-famous karst landscape. Over hundreds of millions of years, flowing water has dissolved the limestone to form towering, upright stone peaks, combining majestic and perilous natural scenery with the cultural heritage of the Ashima legend of the Sani branch of the Yi people. The stamps paint the Stone Forest scenery under five different times of day and weather conditions—mist, autumn, lake, rosy clouds, and stars—displaying the tremendous changes of light, shadow, and atmosphere within the same group of landscapes and presenting the wondrous mountains and beautiful waters of the motherland's southwest. It is a work of great artistic individuality among 1980s scenery stamps.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Mist

The design presents the Stone Forest shrouded in thin mist. Faint blue-gray mist wraps around the towering stone peaks, the outlines of the stone peaks are hazy and soft, and the near and far layers are a mix of solid and void. The mist dilutes the hardness of the rocks, creating a quiet and ethereal morning artistic conception.

Autumn

The design is the Stone Forest in autumn. Warm yellow and ochre tones spread over the rocks, the rock peaks stand tall and staggered, the vegetation is tinged with autumn, and the light is bright and transparent, highlighting the vigorous and weighty texture of the Stone Forest and fully displaying the quiet atmosphere of autumn mountains and fields.

Lake

The design depicts the scenery by the lake in the Stone Forest. The stone peaks are reflected in the calm lake water, the rocks and their reflections face each other, and the water surface is clear, reproducing the wondrous peaks in the emerald waves—mountains and water setting off each other. It is the classic view of the Stone Forest richest in ethereal beauty.

Rosy Clouds

The design shows the Stone Forest illuminated by evening rosy clouds. The sunset glow dyes the peaks and rocks, warm red and orange-purple spread across the sky and the rock faces, and the famous Ashima stone peak stands quietly in the glow, integrating natural scenery with the imagery of folk legend.

Stars

The design is the Stone Forest at night. The deep, dark blue night sky is dotted with stars, the stone peaks present steady dark-toned outlines in the night, and moonlight and starlight set off the upright, solitary posture of the stone pillars—quiet and mysterious, with a distant and profound artistic conception.

Artistic Design Features

The set is re-created on the basis of original oil paintings, with extremely strong color expressiveness. Horizontal compositions spread out the expansive scenery of the peaks, while vertical compositions highlight the towering, upright stone peaks. The five stamps correspond respectively to morning mist, autumn day, lake scenery, evening glow, and starry night, distinguishing the time atmosphere through changes in tone. They are not limited to realistic recording but focus on rendering artistic conception. The colors are intense and lyrical, with rich layers of light and shadow. Differing from traditional Chinese landscape painting stamps, it is a representative of oil-painting-style scenery stamps.