Scott No: 2157
Serial number: J150
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: July 2, 1988
Denomination: 300 fen
Designers: Wang Huming
Size of S/S: 70*100 mm
Size of S/S stamp: 60*25 mm
Perforation: 13
Printing process: Engraving and photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

J150 "110th Anniversary of the Issuance of China's Large Dragon Stamps" commemorative souvenir sheet was issued on July 2, 1988. The set consists of 1 souvenir sheet, printed by photogravure combined with engraving, with a souvenir sheet size of 70 × 100 mm, stamp size 60 × 25 mm, perforation gauge 13, and a face value of 3 yuan. Designed by Wang Huming, engraved by Jiang Weijie, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory.

Theme of the Set

The Large Dragon stamps were the first set of stamps in China, issued in 1878 when the Qing dynasty customs trial postal service was established, and they mark the beginning of China's postal history. This souvenir sheet commemorates the 110th anniversary of the birth of the Large Dragon stamps in the form of a "stamp-on-stamp," reproducing the complete set of three Large Dragon stamps, tracing the origins of the modern postal service, highlighting the milestone status of the Large Dragon stamps in Chinese postal history, and paying tribute to the development of China Post. It is a classic "stamp-on-stamp" on a philatelic theme.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

110th Anniversary of the Issuance of China's Large Dragon Stamps

The background color is a steady deep blue, with three Large Dragon stamps arranged horizontally in the center: the green one-fen silver, the red three-fen silver, and the yellow five-fen silver, restoring the original cloud-and-dragon designs. Above the Large Dragon stamps is a flaming pearl motif, below is the traditional sea-water and river-teeth pattern, and the golden stamp title is printed at the top. The one-fen silver, three-fen silver, and five-fen silver Large Dragon stamps are the original complete set of three Qing dynasty Large Dragon stamps; the cloud-and-dragon patterns are drawn from traditional imperial patterns, and they are iconic rare stamps of modern Chinese postal history.

Artistic Design Features

The design adopts a classical decorative style. With the photogravure-plus-engraving process, the engraved lines are fine and solid. The deep blue background paired with golden patterns is antique and dignified. Chinese elements such as traditional dragon patterns, the flaming pearl, and the sea-water and river-teeth pattern are combined with the stamp-on-stamp format, rich in antique flavor. The composition is balanced and elegant, combining historical value with traditional aesthetics, and it is a well-known stamp-on-stamp souvenir sheet in China.