Scott No: 2453-56
Serial number: 1993-8
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: September 3, 1993
Designers: Huang Huaqiang
Size: 52*31mm
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: gravure

The special stamp set Changbai Mountains, catalog number 1993-9, was issued on September 3, 1993. It consists of four 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. The stamps were designed by Huang Huaqiang and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works.

Thematic Focus of the Set

This set is the opening work of the Man and the Biosphere Reserve thematic series. The Changbai Mountains are a World Biosphere Reserve designated by UNESCO, possessing a complete mountain vertical vegetation spectrum and serving as the source of three rivers: the Songhua River, the Tumen River, and the Yalu River. The stamps are arranged in order from high to low elevation, from the crater lake, alpine tundra, and mountain waterfall to the temperate forest, systematically showcasing the unique volcanic landforms, hydrological landscapes, and distinctly layered mountain ecosystem of the Changbai Mountains. It raises public awareness of the need to protect the rare natural ecology of the northeastern mountains.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Tianchi Lake

The image depicts the crater lake Tianchi, surrounded by mountains. The lake water is deep blue and clear, with snow-capped peaks encircling it. It is the most iconic landscape of the Changbai Mountains and a border lake between China and the DPRK. As a high-mountain lake formed after a volcanic eruption, it nurtures the source water system of the three rivers.

Changbai Mountains Alpine Tundra

The image shows the alpine tundra zone above 2,000 meters in elevation. Here, trees disappear, and the ground is covered with low tundra vegetation and cold-resistant flowers and grasses. It is a unique alpine ecological zone of Northeast China, distributed only in the high-altitude areas of the Changbai Mountains.

Changbai Mountains Waterfall

The image depicts the Changbai Waterfall formed where the water from Tianchi falls. The water rushes down from the cliff with a roar. It is the only outlet of Tianchi and the true source of the Songhua River. It is the most dynamic hydrological wonder of the Changbai Mountains.

Changbai Mountains Coniferous and Broadleaf Mixed Forest

The image shows the dense coniferous and broadleaf mixed forest in the mid-to-low mountain areas. Korean pine and broadleaf trees grow intermingled, with lush forests harboring a wide variety of wildlife. It is the forest layer with the richest species in the Changbai Mountains ecosystem.

Artistic and Design Features

The set uses realistic landscape painting, with fresh and transparent tones. The four images are arranged in order of elevation, forming a top-down mountain ecological cross-section narrative. The images faithfully reproduce the vegetation and landform characteristics at different elevations, combining scenic aesthetics with nature education value. The style is quiet and natural. It is a highly representative set in the category of biosphere reserve stamps.