Scott No: 2976
Serial number: 1999-11
Values in set: 56
Denomination: 4480 fen
Date of issue: 1 October 1999
Designers: Zhou Xiuqing & Jin Xiang
Size of the stamp: 27*38mm
Size of the sheet: 243*300mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition: 56
Printing process: Gravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

The commemorative stamp set 50th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China – Great Unity of Ethnic Groups was issued on October 1, 1999. It consists of 56 stamps with a total face value of 44.80 yuan. It was designed by Zhou Xiuqing and Jin Xiang and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process. The 56 stamps are printed together on one full sheet in an 8×7 layout. It is the stamp set with the largest number of stamps in a single set in the history of China Post, issued grandly to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of New China.

The People's Republic of China is a unified multi-ethnic country. The 56 ethnic groups are closely united, support one another, and work together to build the motherland. This stamp set takes ethnic celebration as its theme. Each stamp corresponds to one ethnic group. Men and women of each ethnic group wear their distinctive traditional festive attire, showcasing ethnic elegance through song, dance, and folk scenes. It expresses the joy of people of all ethnic groups across the country in welcoming the 50th anniversary of the founding of the nation and celebrating the occasion together, highlighting the contemporary theme of harmony and great unity among the Chinese national family.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background (Complete Set of 56 Stamps, in Numbering Order)

56-1 Han: The stamp depicts young Han men and women in festive traditional attire, singing and dancing, showcasing Han folk customs. The Han are the most populous ethnic group in China.

56-2 Mongolian: The stamp shows Mongolian men and women in Mongolian robes, dancing to the morin khuur, reflecting the bold cultural characteristics of the grassland ethnic group.

56-3 Hui: The stamp presents Hui compatriots with distinctive ethnic attire, showcasing the unique folk culture of the Hui people.

56-4 Tibetan: The stamp features Tibetan men and women in Tibetan clothing, in the posture of the Guozhuang dance, with a rich snowy plateau flavor.

56-5 Uyghur: The stamp shows Uyghur youth in Atlas silk attire, dancing a lively ethnic dance.

56-6 Miao: The stamp depicts Miao men and women in magnificent silver ornaments and embroidered festive attire, singing and dancing. Miao embroidery and silver ornaments are iconic cultural symbols of the Miao people.

56-7 Yi: The stamp shows Yi youth in traditional attire, holding a yueqin, fully displaying the ethnic charm of the southwestern mountains.

56-8 Zhuang: The stamp features Zhuang men and women in Zhuang brocade attire, performing the carrying-pole dance. Zhuang brocade is a traditional handicraft treasure of the Zhuang people.

56-9 Bouyei: The stamp presents Bouyei compatriots in blue-and-white batik clothing, singing and dancing in celebration. Batik techniques are passed down through generations.

56-10 Korean: The stamp shows Korean men and women in short jackets and long skirts, with the graceful long-drum dance, full of ethnic rhythm.

56-11 Manchu: The stamp depicts young Manchu men and women in qizhuang, with dignified postures, reflecting traditional Manchu folk customs.

56-12 Dong: The stamp shows Dong compatriots in Dong embroidered clothing, with drum tower elements implied in the background. The Dong Grand Song is renowned at home and abroad.

56-13 Yao: The stamp features Yao men and women in colorful cross-stitch attire, holding long drums, showcasing the Yao long-drum dance.

56-14 Bai: The stamp shows Bai youth in white-based clothing with colorful edges, singing and celebrating. The folk customs of the Bai people in Dali are distinctive.

56-15 Tujia: The stamp depicts Tujia men and women in brocade clothing, performing the hand-waving dance. Tujia brocade is colorful and splendid.

56-16 Hani: The stamp presents Hani compatriots in traditional attire, holding musical instruments, reflecting the character of a terraced-field farming ethnic group.

56-17 Kazakh: The stamp shows Kazakh men and women in grassland attire, holding a dombra, displaying the bold temperament of a nomadic ethnic group.

56-18 Dai: The stamp features Dai youth in tube skirts, with the agile peacock dance, a classic Dai folk dance.

56-19 Li: The stamp shows Li compatriots in Li brocade clothing, holding a dingdong qin. Li brocade is an ancient weaving technique of Hainan.

56-20 Lisu: The stamp presents Lisu men and women in colorful striped clothing, holding musical instruments, showing a mountain ethnic celebration scene.

56-21 Wa: The stamp depicts Wa youth in traditional attire, singing and dancing, showcasing the folk character of the Wa mountains in the southwest.

56-22 She: The stamp shows She men and women in phoenix attire with distinctive features and exquisite embroidery patterns, dancing in celebration.

56-23 Gaoshan: The stamp presents Gaoshan compatriots in traditional shell-ornamented clothing, singing and celebrating, reflecting the ethnic customs of Taiwan.

56-24 Lahu: The stamp shows Lahu men and women dancing with the lusheng. The lusheng is the most representative instrument of the Lahu people.

56-25 Shui: The stamp depicts Shui youth in traditional embroidered clothing, celebrating with song and dance. The Shui script is an ancient writing system of this ethnic group.

56-26 Dongxiang: The stamp shows Dongxiang men and women in dignified ethnic attire, gathering and dancing. The Dongxiang people live in Linxia, Gansu.

56-27 Naxi: The stamp presents Naxi compatriots in traditional clothing, with Dongba cultural elements integrated into the background, exuding an antique and elegant character.

56-28 Jingpo: The stamp shows Jingpo men and women covered in silver ornaments, holding long knives, reflecting the festive characteristics of the Munao Zongge festival.

56-29 Kirghiz: The stamp depicts Kirghiz youth in grassland attire, holding a komuz, with a rich nomadic flavor.

56-30 Tu: The stamp shows Tu men and women in colorful flower-sleeved shirts, singing and celebrating. The Tu Anzhao dance is unique.

56-31 Daur: The stamp presents Daur compatriots in traditional ethnic clothing, gathering and dancing, showing the character of a northern fishing, hunting, and farming ethnic group.

56-32 Mulao: The stamp shows Mulao men and women in embroidered clothing, dancing in celebration. They mainly live in Luocheng, Guangxi.

56-33 Qiang: The stamp depicts Qiang youth in cloud-pattern embroidered clothing, holding a Qiang flute. The ancient Qiang culture has a profound heritage.

56-34 Blang: The stamp shows Blang men and women in traditional attire, celebrating with song and dance. They have lived in the Xishuangbanna area of Yunnan for generations.

56-35 Salar: The stamp presents Salar compatriots in simple and dignified ethnic clothing, gathering and dancing. They live in Xunhua, Qinghai.

56-36 Maonan: The stamp shows Maonan men and women in exquisite embroidered clothing, dancing in celebration. The distinctive bamboo hat is a symbol of the ethnic group.

56-37 Gelao: The stamp depicts Gelao youth in traditional attire, singing and celebrating. They are an ancient mountain ethnic group in Guizhou.

56-38 Xibe: The stamp shows Xibe men and women in ethnic clothing, holding bows and arrows, commemorating the history of westward migration, combining civil and martial qualities.

56-39 Achang: The stamp presents Achang compatriots in exquisite clothing, reflecting the ethnic culture of Husa knife forging.

56-40 Pumi: The stamp shows Pumi men and women in traditional linen clothing, gathering for song and dance. They are a highland ethnic group in northwestern Yunnan.

56-41 Tajik: The stamp depicts Tajik youth wearing fur hats and highland attire. They are the eagle ethnic group of the Pamir Plateau.

56-42 Nu: The stamp shows Nu men and women in traditional linen clothing, dancing in celebration. They are an ancient ethnic group of the Nujiang Gorge.

56-43 Uzbek: The stamp presents Uzbek compatriots in exquisite ethnic clothing, singing and dancing, with distinctive Western Regions song and dance characteristics.

56-44 Russian: The stamp shows Russian men and women in European-style ethnic clothing, dancing gracefully. They are a distinctive ethnic group of northern Xinjiang.

56-45 Ewenki: The stamp depicts Ewenki youth in grassland and forest ethnic clothing, reflecting the northern reindeer nomadic culture.

56-46 De'ang: The stamp shows De'ang men and women with vine rings and traditional clothing. They are an ethnic group of the tea towns of Yunnan.

56-47 Bao'an: The stamp presents Bao'an compatriots in ethnic clothing. The Bao'an waist knife is a signature craft of the ethnic group.

56-48 Yugur: The stamp shows Yugur men and women wearing red-tasseled hats and grassland attire. They are a nomadic ethnic group of the Hexi Corridor.

56-49 Gin: The stamp depicts Gin youth in coastal ethnic clothing, singing and celebrating. They are a maritime ethnic group of the Beibu Gulf in Guangxi.

56-50 Tatar: The stamp shows Tatar men and women in exquisite ethnic clothing, singing and dancing joyfully. They are an ethnic minority of northern Xinjiang.

56-51 Derung: The stamp presents Derung compatriots in traditional linen clothing, showcasing the ancient ethnic character of the Dulong River Gorge.

56-52 Oroqen: The stamp shows Oroqen men and women in animal-skin clothing, with the characteristics of a northern mountain hunting ethnic group.

56-53 Hezhen: The stamp depicts Hezhen youth in fish-skin clothing. They are a northern fishing and hunting ethnic group in China, living along the Heilongjiang River for generations.

56-54 Monba: The stamp shows Monba men and women in Tibetan-style ethnic clothing. They are an ethnic group at the southern foot of the Himalayas.

56-55 Lhoba: The stamp presents Lhoba compatriots in traditional bamboo and wood clothing. They are an ancient ethnic group of the Himalayan region.

56-56 Jino: The stamp shows Jino men and women in festive ethnic attire, singing and celebrating. They are the last ethnic group to be officially recognized as a single ethnic group in China.

The border of the full sheet features a combination of double dragons and the Great Wall. The top bears the inscription "50th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China 1949–1999 Great Unity of Ethnic Groups," symbolizing that the sons and daughters of all ethnic groups inside and outside the Great Wall are united as one.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses gongbi (meticulous brushwork) and rich-color figure painting. The figures are vivid and expressive, and the costumes are rich and colorful, accurately reproducing the traditional clothing patterns and folk characteristics of each ethnic group. The photogravure printing provides high color saturation and delicate layers, with the details of the costumes well expressed. The 56 stamps are gathered on one full sheet in a neat layout with a grand momentum, condensing the elegance of 56 ethnic groups onto one sheet. It is a landmark classic work in the commemorative stamps of the founding of the nation and ethnic themes.