Scott No: 2467-70
Serial number: 1993-14
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: October 20, 1993
Designers: Wang Huming
Size: 40*30mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 50
Printing process: offset

The special stamp set Ancient Chinese Lacquerware, catalog number 1993-14, was issued on October 20, 1993. It consists of four stamps, produced using offset printing. The stamps measure 40×30 mm, with a perforation gauge of 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 50 stamps. The stamps were designed by Wang Huming and printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory.

Thematic Focus of the Set

This set follows chronological order, selecting representative lacquerware treasures from the Neolithic, Warring States, Yuan, and Qing periods, linking the development of Chinese lacquerware over more than seven thousand years. Lacquerware is a great traditional craft invention of China, using natural lacquer to coat and decorate objects, combining practical and ornamental value. The stamps cover different craft categories: early primitive lacquering, Warring States painted lacquer, Yuan Dynasty carved lacquer, and Qing Dynasty vermilion lacquerware, showcasing the iteration of lacquering techniques and aesthetic changes through the dynasties and promoting this unique Eastern arts and crafts heritage.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Neolithic – Red Lacquer Wooden Bowl

This artifact was unearthed from the Hemudu Site in Yuyao, Zhejiang, dating back more than seven thousand years. It is the earliest lacquerware discovered in China to date and is now housed in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum. The wooden bowl has a simple form, with remnants of red lacquer on the outer wall, confirming that as early as the Neolithic Age, ancestors had mastered the basic techniques of lacquer tapping and coating. It is the source evidence of lacquerware civilization.

Warring States – Painted Lacquer Box in the Shape of a Mandarin Duck with Music and Dance Scene

From the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng in Suizhou, Hubei. The box is shaped like a mandarin duck. The body has a black lacquer base with red painted decorations. The belly depicts a scene of bell striking and drumming with music and dance. The lid can be opened and closed, and the head and neck can rotate. Its ingenious and unusual form makes it a pinnacle work of Warring States painted lacquerware, housed in the Hubei Provincial Museum.

Yuan – Carved Red Lacquer Round Dish with Purple Sepal Pattern

A classic of Yuan Dynasty carved lacquer. The tixhong (carved red) technique involves applying multiple layers of lacquer before carving patterns. The center of the dish is carved with a purple sepal flower, with substantial and rounded knife work and a full and grand composition. The Yuan Dynasty was a stage of maturity and flourishing for carved lacquer. This artifact witnesses the artistic transition of carved lacquer from simple to complex.

Qing – Chrysanthemum-Petal Shaped Vermilion Lacquer Box

The entire piece is vermilion red. The body imitates chrysanthemum petals with vertical ridges, with a regular and soft outline and an even and warm luster. It is a representative of Qing Dynasty plain vermilion lacquer, reflecting the Qing Dynasty aesthetic pursuit of simple elegance, refinement, and regular forms.

Artistic and Design Features

The set uses a realistic still-life presentation. The background is simple and elegant, focusing on reproducing the texture of the lacquer color and the contours of the objects without extraneous enhancement. The four artifacts are arranged in chronological order, from the earliest primitive lacquer bowl, to the painted zoomorphic vessel, carved lacquer dish, and plain vermilion lacquer box, clearly presenting the technical routes of lacquering crafts in different periods. The style is steady and restrained, faithfully reproducing the warm luster of ancient lacquer after years of sedimentation. It is an outstanding work in the category of arts and crafts stamps that systematically presents the history of lacquer art development.