Scott No: 2776-81
Serial number: 1997-11
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: Yan Bingwu; Yang Wenqing
Designers: July 26,1997
Size: 50*30mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: offset

The special stamp set Ancient Temples of Mount Wutai, catalog number 1997-11, was issued on July 26, 1997. It consists of six stamps, produced using offset printing. The stamps measure 50×30 mm, with a perforation gauge of 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 40 stamps. The stamps were designed by Yan Bingwu and Yang Wenqing and printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory.

Mount Wutai is located in Wutai County, Xinzhou, Shanxi. It is one of China's four great Buddhist mountains and the bodhimanda of Manjusri Bodhisattva. Temples have been built here since the Eastern Han Dynasty, preserving a large number of ancient buildings from different eras, and it is known as a treasure house of ancient Chinese architecture. The stamps feature six representative temple landscapes of Mount Wutai, showcasing the architectural styles of Han and Tibetan Buddhism and presenting the architectural achievements from Tang Dynasty wooden structures to Ming and Qing Dynasty temples, highlighting the thousand-year Buddhist culture and ancient architectural art value of Mount Wutai.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Taihuai Town Temple Complex

The image shows a panoramic view of Taihuai Town. At the center is the iconic Great White Pagoda of Tayuan Temple, with numerous halls and buildings scattered along the mountain and surrounded by mountains. Taihuai is the concentrated area of temples on Mount Wutai, and the Great White Pagoda is the symbol of Mount Wutai. This temple complex has been built over a thousand years and is the core area of Mount Wutai's Buddhist culture.

Main Hall of Nanchan Temple

The Main Hall of Nanchan Temple is located southwest of Mount Wutai. It was rebuilt in the third year of the Jianzhong era of the Tang Dynasty and is the earliest surviving Tang Dynasty wooden structure in China. The hall is not large in scale, with a simple and archaic form, concise dougong brackets, and a completely preserved Tang Dynasty wooden structure. It holds an extremely high position in the history of Chinese architecture.

East Main Hall of Foguang Temple

The East Main Hall of Foguang Temple is a model of Tang Dynasty wooden architecture. It was discovered by Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin and was built in the 11th year of the Dazhong era of the Tang Dynasty. The hall has grand dougong brackets and expansive roofing. It integrates Tang Dynasty architecture, painted sculptures, murals, and inscriptions into one, making it a pinnacle relic of Tang Dynasty architectural art.

Bronze Hall of Xiantong Temple

The Bronze Hall of Xiantong Temple was cast during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The entire hall is cast in bronze, with two stories, and the hall body is covered with exquisite bronze carved patterns. The Bronze Hall is a landmark building of Xiantong Temple and a rare large-scale ancient metal building in China, reflecting the superb smelting and casting techniques of the Ming Dynasty.

Pusa Ding

Pusa Ding is a large-scale Yellow Temple (Tibetan Buddhist temple) on Mount Wutai. It was once an imperial temple during the Qing Dynasty. The buildings rise layer by layer along the mountain, with towering halls covered with yellow glazed tiles, combining Han-style hall layout with Tibetan temple characteristics.

Zhenhai Temple

Zhenhai Temple is located in a valley of Mount Wutai, surrounded by mountain forests on both sides. There are Tibetan-style stupas in the courtyard. The temple combines Han and Tibetan architectural features and is an important temple for Mongolian and Tibetan believers to worship at Mount Wutai. The environment is serene and secluded.

Artistic and Design Features

The set uses pen-and-light-watercolor painting, with simple and serene tones, integrating the ancient temples into the green mountains and forests. The six stamps present the panorama, Tang Dynasty wooden architecture, bronze-cast hall, and Tibetan Buddhist temple in sequence, fully displaying the diverse ancient architectural types of Mount Wutai. The lines are delicate, accurately reproducing the details of dougong brackets, upturned eaves, and Buddhist pagodas, creating the serene and solemn atmosphere of ancient temples. It is a classic work in the category of famous mountains and ancient architecture stamps.