Scott No: 2874-75
Serial number: 1998-14
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: June 18, 1998
Designers: Wang Huming; Qin Renwei
Wang Yong; Song Kejing
Size of stamp: 50*30mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: offset

The special stamp set Chongqing Scenery, catalog number 1998-14, was issued on June 18, 1998. It consists of two 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 Wang Huming and Qin Renwei, with photography by Tian Jiemin and Qin Renwei, and printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory.

This stamp set was issued to commemorate the first anniversary of Chongqing's establishment as a municipality directly under the Central Government. Chongqing is located at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Jialing River. It is an important central city in central and western China and a major land and water hub on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The stamps feature two representative landscapes: a cultural landmark of the city and a Yangtze River port, showcasing the unique urban character of the mountain city, reflecting Chongqing's new development appearance after becoming a municipality, and highlighting its important position in the economic construction of the upper Yangtze River.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Chongqing Great Hall of the People

The main subject is the Chongqing Great Hall of the People. The building integrates the style of traditional Chinese palaces, with a large double-eaved roof and a grand and elegant form. It is a classic urban landmark of Chongqing. Completed in the 1950s, the Great Hall has long served as an important venue for major gatherings and cultural activities in Chongqing, carrying the city's memory and symbolizing Chongqing's profound cultural heritage.

Chongqing Port

The design shows the scenery of the Chaotianmen port area. Chaotianmen is located at the confluence of the two rivers and is the largest inland river port on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The image presents the port wharves, buildings, and ships on the river, reflecting Chongqing's geographical advantage as a land and water gateway and bearing witness to the era's vision of the mountain city opening up and developing its economy through Yangtze River shipping.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamps are artistically processed based on actual photographs. The images are expansive and bright, with blue skies setting off the buildings and river scenery. One stamp presents the city's classic cultural architecture, and the other showcases the economic landscape of the Yangtze River port. The cultural landmark and the transportation port echo each other, one static and one dynamic, condensing the unique urban appearance of the mountain city into stamps. The colors are clean and transparent, faithfully reproducing Chongqing's urban appearance in the late 1990s.