Scott No: 3338
Serial number: 2004-1
Values in set: 1
Denomination: 80 fen
Selling Price of the booklet: 8 yuan
Date of issue: 5th January 2004
Designer: Chen Shaohua
Size of stamps: 36*36 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition:
24 for Sheet I; 6 for Sheet II
Printing process: Photogravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

This special stamp set, Jiashen Year (Year of the Monkey), was issued on January 5, 2004. It consists of one stamp with a face value of 0.80 yuan, designed by Chen Shaohua, with Yu Ping serving as the responsible editor, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process. It is the first issue of the third cycle of the twelve zodiac stamp series and is available in multiple formats, including large sheet, miniature sheet, souvenir sheet, and stamp booklet.

The year 2004 is the Jiashen Year of the Monkey in the lunar calendar. In Chinese folk culture, the monkey symbolizes intelligence, vitality, and good fortune. As the first stamp of the third zodiac cycle, the design breaks away from traditional realistic styles, using modern graphic art to interpret traditional New Year customs. It draws on the auspicious meaning of "monkey and peach bringing longevity," conveying wishes for good fortune, joy, and well-being in the New Year, and marking the beginning of the twelve-year third zodiac stamp series.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

Jiashen Year

The main image features a lively monkey with bright and vivid colors. The face is composed of colorful geometric shapes, with richly colored ears, eyes, and cheeks, and a smiling expression. The monkey's left arm holds a plump pink peach, and its curled, flexible tail is outlined in black and white spiral patterns. The characters "Jiashen Year" are vertically arranged on the left side of the stamp, with the China Post logo on the right. The overall design is lively and festive, conveying New Year wishes for happiness and longevity.

Artistic and Design Features

The square stamp format is simple and elegant, with bright and vivid colors and a rounded, simple design that blends modern aesthetics with traditional auspicious symbolism. The photogravure printing provides full and vivid colors. The stamp incorporates multiple anti-counterfeiting features, including security paper, security ink, shaped perforations, and fluorescent spray codes. It is available in a variety of formats, enriching the collecting experience. The fresh and modern style sets a new visual tone for the third zodiac cycle.

This stamp is a special issue on the theme of Chinese zodiac and folk culture, suitable for thematic collections on the zodiac series and New Year customs.