Scott No: 3152-55
Serial number:2001-26
Values in set: 4
Booklet: 1
Denomination: 5.20 yuan
Date of issue: 5th December 2001
Designer: Dai Dunbang
Size of stamps: 30*40 mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 20
Printing process: gravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

This special stamp set, Folk Legend – Xu Xian and Lady White Snake, was issued on December 5, 2001. It consists of four stamps with a total face value of 5.20 yuan. The designer is Dai Dunbang. It was printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process. This stamp set is part of China Post's folk legend series. It features four classic episodes from the well-known Legend of the White Snake, using the traditional Chinese painting style of freehand brushwork with rich colors to recreate this classic Jiangnan folk love legend and showcase the romantic tragedy and humanistic charm of traditional folk literature.

The Legend of the White Snake is one of China's four great folk legends. It is popular in the Jiangnan region and tells the story of the white snake Bai Suzhen, who transforms into a human and falls in love with the mortal Xu Xian. They face many trials, including the obstruction of Fa Hai and the flooding of Jinshan Temple. The legend blends sincere love and the struggle between good and evil. It has given rise to many art forms, including opera, painting, and storytelling. In 2006, it was inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list. The story expresses the people's longing for free and sincere love and their resistance to the constraints of power. It has been widely circulated among the people for thousands of years, and its characters are deeply rooted in people's hearts. This stamp set features four representative episodes, using the freehand brushwork of traditional Chinese painting to delicately portray the characters' expressions and story scenes, forming a complete narrative arc of the legend.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Strolling on the Lake and Borrowing an Umbrella

The stamp depicts the first meeting of Bai Suzhen, Xiaoqing, and Xu Xian amidst the misty rain of West Lake. The lake is shrouded in mist and rain, and the figures stand by the shore. Xu Xian bows and offers an umbrella, Bai Suzhen looks gentle and shy, and Xiaoqing stands beside them. In the upper right corner is a red seal reading "Borrowing an Umbrella." During the Qingming Festival, they go boating on West Lake. A light rain falls, and Xu Xian offers his umbrella, beginning their connection. This is the opening of the entire story. The misty rain of West Lake enhances the atmosphere of a romantic encounter, beginning the romance between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian.

Stealing the Herb from the Immortal Mountain

The stamp depicts the tense scene of Bai Suzhen going to Mount Kunlun to obtain the magical lingzhi herb and confronting the guardian immortal boy. Xu Xian accidentally drinks realgar wine, and Bai Suzhen reveals her true white snake form. Xu Xian is frightened into a coma, and only the lingzhi herb can save him. Bai Suzhen goes alone to the immortal mountain despite the danger. Her posture is vigorous, and the sense of conflict is strong, highlighting Bai Suzhen's deep affection and courage in risking everything for love.

Flooding Jinshan Temple

The stamp shows the grand scene of Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing mobilizing their aquatic forces to flood Jinshan Temple to save Xu Xian. The waves surge and churn, Jinshan Temple stands in the water, and Fa Hai stands inside the temple as the two sides confront each other fiercely. Fa Hai forcibly detains Xu Xian at Jinshan and separates the couple. Bai Suzhen has no choice but to flood Jinshan. This is the climax of the legend's conflict, reflecting the determination to resist power and protect a loved one.

Meeting on the Broken Bridge

The stamp depicts the reunion and embrace of Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian on the Broken Bridge after the storm. After the disaster at Jinshan, the two meet again on the Broken Bridge at West Lake, with mixed feelings of love and hate, joy and sorrow. The Broken Bridge is both the place of their first meeting and the place of their reunion, echoing the beginning and end. It is a classic scene of great emotional tension in the legend, expressing the hardships and reluctance of this love.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses Mr. Dai Dunbang's unique traditional Chinese freehand figure painting style. The figures are vivid and expressive, with concise and unrestrained lines and well-balanced colors, combining the charm of Chinese painting brushwork with a strong narrative sense. The photogravure printing provides rich layers, effectively reproducing the ink wash effects, clothing lines, and scenic details of Chinese painting. The four stamps are arranged in strict chronological order, coherently and completely telling the legend of the White Snake, integrating the lakes and mountains of Jiangnan, classical figures, and folk tales. This set is a special issue on the theme of folk literature and legends, suitable for thematic collections on folk tales, classical mythology, and love legends.