Scott No: 3103
Serial number: 2001-6
Values in set: 4
Denomination: 5 yuan
Date of issue: 5 May 2001
Designer: Yan Binwu
Size: 38*50 mm
Sheet composition: 16
Printing process: gravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

This stamp set, Murals of the Yongle Palace, was issued on May 5, 2001. It is a special stamp set consisting of four stamps with a total face value of 5 yuan. The designer is Yan Bingwu, with photography by Xue Chao and Li Ruizhi. It was printed using offset printing by Beijing Stamp Printing Works. The perforation gauge is 12 degrees, and each stamp measures 38×50 mm. The set is printed in a continuous format of four stamps.

This stamp set features four classic groups of deities from the Yuan Dynasty Taoist mural Chaoyuan Tu (The Assembly of Immortals) in the Sanqing Hall of the Yongle Palace in Ruicheng, Shanxi. It reproduces the magnificent Yuan Dynasty painting achievements of the Yongle Palace murals, showcases the superb level of ancient Chinese gongbi (meticulous brushwork) figure painting with rich colors, and preserves this world-famous Yuan Dynasty religious art treasure.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Queen Mother of the West

The design is taken from a section of the Chaoyuan Tu in the middle of the west wall of the Sanqing Hall at the Yongle Palace. The Queen Mother of the West is the foremost female immortal in Taoist mythology. In the image, she sits on a throne, wearing a phoenix crown and magnificent robes, dignified and graceful, with jade maidens standing beside her. The Chaoyuan Tu depicts a grand scene of Taoist deities gathering to pay homage to the Primeval Lord of Heaven, with more than two hundred figures in the entire composition. The artist used long, vigorous iron-wire line drawing to outline layer upon layer of clothing folds. The costume patterns are intricate and exquisite, and the faces are full and gentle, fully displaying the dignified and elegant character of Yuan Dynasty murals.

Jade Maiden Holding a Treasure

The design is taken from a section of the Chaoyuan Tu in the middle of the west wall of the Sanqing Hall. The jade maiden is an attendant in the assembly of immortals, holding a treasure with both hands. Her posture is gentle and graceful, her hair is exquisitely styled, and her long skirt ribbons flow in the wind. As an attendant fairy beside the main deity, she is one of the most beautiful figures in the mural group. The artist's lines are continuous and flowing, with layers of mineral pigments applied. The robes are light and elegant, delicately capturing the jade maiden's serene and gentle expression. She is a representative attendant figure in the Chaoyuan Tu.

The Eastern Extremity Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering

The design is taken from a section of the Chaoyuan Tu on the outer part of the west wall of the Sanqing Hall. The Eastern Extremity Heavenly Worthy Who Saves from Suffering is an important Taoist deity in the assembly of immortals. His expression is solemn and dignified, and he wears a Taoist robe with intricate and magnificent patterns, with exquisite accessories. His expression is steady and majestic, and the lines of his clothing are powerful and vigorous. The Yongle Palace murals were painted with natural mineral pigments. After more than seven hundred years, they remain rich and vivid in color. This section fully reflects the grand and solemn momentum of the entire mural.

Venus and Mercury

The design is taken from a section of the Chaoyuan Tu in the eastern section of the north wall of the Sanqing Hall. The stamp depicts two Taoist stellar deities, Venus and Mercury, one male and one female, creating a contrasting pair. Venus wears armor and has a resolute and martial expression; Mercury has a gentle face and flowing robes. In the vast procession of deities in the Chaoyuan Tu, the stellar deities are an important component. The artist balanced the strength of a warrior and the tenderness of a goddess, with finely detailed armor and clothing patterns. They are a group of figures with contrasting beauty in the entire mural.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses the method of selecting sections from the original work, faithfully reproducing the original appearance of the Yongle Palace murals, preserving the classic iron-wire line technique and the rich, heavy color texture of mineral pigments. The four stamps are in a horizontal continuous format, with connected images. They feature deities of different identities from the Chaoyuan Tu: main deity, attendant, heavenly worthy, and stellar deities, each with distinct appearances. The compositions are antique and grand, fully reproducing the magnificent and substantial artistic style of Yuan Dynasty murals. Through the medium of stamps, this treasure of ancient mural art is widely disseminated.