Scott No: 2316-18
Serial number: T156
Values in set: 3
Denomination: 150 fen
Date of issue: February 20, 1991
Designer: Wu Jiankun
Size of stamps: 52*31 mm
Perforation: 11.5*11
Sheet composition: 40 (4*10)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

The special stamp set The Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project, catalog number T156, was issued on February 20, 1991. It consists of three stamps, produced using the photogravure process. The stamps measure 52×31 mm, with a perforation gauge of 11.5×11 degrees. Each sheet contains 40 stamps (4×10). The stamps were designed by Wu Jiankun and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works.

Thematic Focus of the Set

This stamp set features the three core pivotal structures of Dujiangyan, showcasing this damless water diversion project built during the Warring States period under the direction of Li Bing and his son. Dujiangyan has continued to perform flood control and irrigation functions for over two thousand years, creating the Land of Abundance. The stamps praise the superb water conservancy wisdom of ancient Chinese ancestors and highlight the brilliance of ancient Chinese scientific and technological civilization.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Fish Mouth

The image uses a distant view composition, showing the Fish Mouth, the water-dividing levee in the middle of the river. The Fish Mouth is the water diversion hub of Dujiangyan, dividing the Min River into the Outer River and the Inner River. The Outer River is used for flood discharge, and the Inner River is channeled into the Chengdu Plain for irrigation. It is the starting key to the entire project.

Flying Sand Weir

The image shows the actual appearance of the Flying Sand Weir. The Flying Sand Weir is a flood overflow and sediment discharge facility. During flood periods, it can automatically discharge floodwater and flush away sediment. It is an important project for ensuring the safety of the irrigation area and regulating the water volume of the Inner River. It is an indispensable part of the Dujiangyan water management system.

Bottle-Neck Channel

The image depicts the Bottle-Neck Channel, a water diversion narrows formed by cutting through Yulei Mountain, and the ancient buildings on the Li Dui (isolated mound). The Bottle-Neck Channel controls the water intake flow of the Inner River, constraining the river water entering the plain. It is known as "Li Dui locks the gorge" and is a man-made strategic passage.

Artistic and Design Features

The three stamps are distinguished by three main color tones: blue, green, and purplish-yellow. The Fish Mouth uses a distant panoramic composition, while the Flying Sand Weir and Bottle-Neck Channel use close-up compositions, with clear layers. The photogravure printing provides transparent and soft colors. The realistic style reproduces the landscape of the Min River, balancing the scientific rigor of the engineering with the natural beauty of Sichuan's mountains and waters. The images are dignified and grand.