Scott No: 2221-24
Serial number: T139
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: August 10, 1989
Denomination: 68 fen
Designers: Chen Xiaocun
Size of stamps:
Value 1: 27*40mm; Value 2,3,4: 40*27mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition:
Vakue 1:50(10*5); Value 2,3,4:50(5*10)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T139 "Socialist Construction Achievements (Series II)" special stamps were issued on August 10, 1989. The set consists of 4 stamps, printed by photogravure. (1) Stamp size 27 × 40 mm, perforation gauge 11, 50 stamps per sheet (10 × 5); (2)(3)(4) stamp size 40 × 27 mm, perforation gauge 11, 50 stamps per sheet (5 × 10). Designed by Chen Xiaocong, photographed by Shen Jiahe, Qiao Wentao, Li Jiefan, and Wang Lianjia, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory.

Theme of the Set

This set continues the Socialist Construction Achievements series, selecting four major national key projects in the fields of telecommunications, coal, hydropower, and railway, recording the major construction achievements of China's infrastructure and energy industries in the 1980s, showcasing the strength of independent construction of major domestic projects during the reform and opening-up period, and reflecting the era's vision of coordinated development of communications, energy, and transportation supporting the steady progress of the national economy.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Beijing International Telecommunications Bureau

The image shows the Beijing International Telecommunications Bureau building. Located near Sanyuanqiao in Beijing, it was an important international communications gateway bureau in China at the time, equipped with advanced stored-program-controlled switching equipment and connected to satellite ground stations to achieve international long-distance communications, marking a significant improvement in China's international communications capacity.

Xiqu Coal Mine in Gujiao, Shanxi

The image presents a panoramic view of the Xiqu Coal Mine area. This is a modern large-scale mine independently designed and constructed by China, built with introduced loans, and a key project of the Shanxi energy base. It increased domestic coal production capacity and ensured energy supply.

Longyangxia Hydropower Station in Qinghai

The image depicts the Longyangxia Dam and reservoir area. Longyangxia is a large-scale water conservancy hub project on the upper reaches of the Yellow River, combining power generation, flood control, and irrigation functions. It was an important hydropower base in northwest China at the time, delivering clean energy to Qinghai and surrounding areas.

Dayao Mountain Tunnel on the Hengyang–Guangzhou Double-Track Railway

The image shows the tunnel portal and a train passing through. The Dayao Mountain Tunnel, with a total length of 14.295 kilometers, was the longest double-track railway tunnel in China at the time and a controlling project of the Hengyang–Guangzhou railway double-tracking project. It overcame complex geological difficulties and greatly enhanced the railway capacity of the southern section of the Beijing–Guangzhou line.

Artistic Design Features

The set adopts a realistic photographic style, with an expansive and imposing composition that faithfully reproduces the appearance of the project sites. The combination of one vertical and three horizontal formats enriches the layout variation, and the calm, realistic tones make the images plain and weighty, with a strong documentary feel. It maintains consistency with the style of the first series of construction achievement stamps, preserving the imprint of era-defining projects in an objective documentary manner.