Scott No: -
Serial number: 200
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: April 6, 2007
Denomination: 120
Designer: Wu Yong
Size of stamps: 40 * 30
Perforation: 13 * 12.5
Sheet composition: 16
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

This stamp set was officially issued on April 6, 2007. It consists of a single stamp with a face value of 1.20 yuan, designed by Wu Yong, with Chen Jingzhi serving as the responsible editor, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using offset printing.

In 1907, the Spring Willow Society performed Uncle Tom's Cabin in Tokyo, Japan, marking the official birth of modern Chinese spoken drama. Over the course of a century, spoken drama has grown into a highly influential modern stage art form in China, producing numerous classic works and master artists. China Post issued this commemorative stamp to reflect on the hundred-year journey of Chinese drama, pay tribute to generations of theater practitioners, honor the pioneering work of modern Chinese drama, and celebrate its humanistic spirit of engaging with reality and portraying the joys and sorrows of life.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

Centenary of Chinese Spoken Drama

The stamp design features a backdrop of the original poster for the pioneering drama Uncle Tom's Cabin. Two intersecting stage spotlights project from above, illuminating a pair of classic tragic and comic masks. The interplay of light and shadow forms an abstract number "100," with the years 1907‑2007 inscribed on the stamp, symbolizing a century of stage artistry and the celebration of Chinese spoken drama's enduring legacy.

Artistic and Design Features

The horizontal composition is simple and modern, with a warm vintage brown background that conveys a sense of time-honored heritage. The stage lighting creates depth, while the tragic and comic masks serve as timeless symbols of theater. The clever combination of light and shadow highlights the centenary theme. The offset printing provides soft, delicate tones, blending the vintage poster, lighting effects, and geometric shapes into a design that balances historical depth with contemporary graphic aesthetics.

This stamp is the only commemorative issue dedicated to Chinese spoken drama, available in stamp set and large sheet formats. Collectors often pair it with other stage art-themed stamps, such as those for Peking opera and Kunqu opera, making it a distinctive addition to thematic collections on modern stage and theater culture.