Scott No: 3305-7
Serial number: 2003-17
Values in set: 3
Denomination: 3.60 yuan
Date of issue: 25th September 2003
Designer: Meng Fancong
Size of stamps: 30*40 mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition:
20 for Sheet I
9 for Sheet II
Printing process: offset
Printer: Shenyang Post & Telecommunication Printing Works

This is a set of three commemorative stamps titled Ancient Famous General – Yue Fei, issued on September 25, 2003, with a total face value of 3.60 yuan, designed by Meng Fancong and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

Yue Fei was an outstanding military commander of the Southern Song Dynasty and a famous national hero. From a young age, he resolved to serve his country and devoted his life to resisting the Jin Dynasty. He led the Yue Family Army to numerous victories, maintained strict military discipline, and was deeply loved by the people. His patriotic devotion to his country and family has inspired generations of Chinese people for centuries. This stamp set features three highly representative episodes from Yue Fei's life, recreating moments of this famous general's career and promoting the noble spirit of loyalty, perseverance, and defending the homeland.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Yue's Mother Tattoos Characters

The stamp depicts the classic scene of Yue Fei's mother tattooing the four characters "Serve the Country with Utmost Loyalty" on his back. His mother sits upright, while Yue Fei kneels with his back exposed, his expression solemn. This story, passed down through the ages, represents the seeds of national righteousness planted in the young Yue Fei's heart, becoming the spiritual source of his lifelong determination to resist the Jin. It is a household tale in Chinese patriotic culture.

Great Victory at Yancheng

The stamp presents the battlefield scene of the Battle of Yancheng, with Yue Fei commanding on horseback in front of the formation and soldiers charging bravely. The Battle of Yancheng was a key campaign in the Song-Jin wars. The Yue Family Army decisively defeated the elite Jin forces, inflicting heavy losses and briefly creating favorable conditions for recovering the Central Plains. The stamp captures the passionate and magnificent atmosphere of the battlefield, reflecting Yue Fei's outstanding military command skills.

Noble Character

The stamp portrays Yue Fei standing upright, with a calm and resolute expression. Despite his outstanding military achievements, Yue Fei did not covet power. He lived simply, was strict with himself, and was single-mindedly focused on recovering lost territory, seeking no personal wealth or honor. This stamp shapes the image of Yue Fei as a man indifferent to fame and fortune, with the world in his heart, highlighting his noble character and breadth of mind.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses a traditional gongbi (meticulous brushwork) figure painting style, with vigorous lines and dignified, expressive figures. The photogravure printing provides rich layers, effectively presenting the characters' clothing and armor, expressions, and battlefield environments. The three stamps are arranged in chronological narrative order, from his resolve to serve the country, to his achievements on the battlefield, and finally to his noble character, creating a complete and well-rounded heroic image of Yue Fei and conveying the national spirit of serving the country with utmost loyalty.