Scott No: 2922-24
Serial number: 1998-27
Values in set: 3
Date of issue: December 1, 1998
Designers: Liu Shaohui
Size:
50*30mm for Value 1
30*50mm for Value 2,3
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: offset

The special stamp set Lingqu Canal, catalog number 1998-27, was issued on December 1, 1998. It consists of three stamps, produced using offset printing. The first stamp measures 50×30 mm, and the second and third measure 30×50 mm. The perforation gauge is 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 40 stamps. The stamps were designed by Liu Shaohui and printed by Shenyang Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory in Liaoning Province.

This stamp set takes the Lingqu Canal in Xing'an, Guangxi, as its theme. The Lingqu Canal was excavated in the 33rd year of Qin Shi Huang. It is one of the three great water conservancy projects of the Qin Dynasty and the world's most complete surviving ancient inter-basin canal. The Lingqu Canal cleverly connects the Xiang River and the Li River, linking the Yangtze River and Pearl River systems. In ancient times, it was responsible for transporting grain and supplies, promoting the unification of the Central Plains and Lingnan, as well as economic, trade, and cultural exchange. It still performs an irrigation function today. The stamps feature three core water conservancy facilities of the Lingqu Canal, showcasing the ancient people's superb water conservancy construction wisdom and highlighting the brilliant achievements of ancient Chinese water conservancy civilization.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Plowshare Mouth and Balance Dams

The image shows the Plowshare Mouth and the Large and Small Balance Dams, the water diversion hub of the Lingqu Canal. The Plowshare Mouth resembles a plowshare and divides the upper reaches of the Xiang River into two. The water volume is then regulated through the Large and Small Balance Dams' overflow weirs. During dry seasons, water is directed into the canal; during floods, it automatically discharges floodwater. It is the most core water diversion facility of the Lingqu Canal project, fully embodying the ancient people's water management philosophy of guiding water according to its natural tendencies.

Qin Embankment

The design shows the Qin Embankment of the Lingqu Canal and the scenery along its banks. The Qin Embankment was built along the South Canal and is an important protective embankment of the Lingqu Canal. Pavilions and ancient bridges are built on the embankment, and vegetation is lush on both banks. The Qin Embankment was built during the Qin Dynasty and has stabilized the canal body for thousands of years, ensuring water conveyance in the South Canal. Historical sites remain along the embankment, making it a concentrated area of the Lingqu Canal's cultural landscape.

Steep Gate

The image depicts the navigation scene at the Lingqu Canal's steep gate. The steep gate is equivalent to an ancient canal lock and is the world's earliest canal navigation facility. By opening and closing the steep gate to regulate water levels, boats can smoothly overcome terrain drops and achieve north-south navigation. In the image, wooden boats travel on the canal, recreating the scene of boats coming and going on the ancient canal.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamps use a decorative painting style. The colors are bright and rich, using a bird's-eye view to show the overall layout of the water conservancy project. The three stamps present the water diversion dam, canal embankment, and navigation facilities in sequence, fully displaying the working logic of the entire Lingqu Canal water conservancy system. The images balance engineering structures and landscape scenery, integrating water conservancy buildings into the Lingnan landscape. The simple and antique painting style fits the profound historical character of this thousand-year-old ancient project.