Scott No: -
Serial number: 2007-30
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: November 5, 2007
Denomination: 720 fen
Designer: Wang Huming
Size of stamps: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 12 * 11.5
Sheet composition:
20 for Sheet I;
12 for Sheet II (2 sets)
Sheet Size:
150 * 240 mm for I;
200 * 135 mm for II
Printing process: Offset(embossed for Sheet II)
Printing House: Henan Provincial Posts and Telecommunications Printing House

This stamp set was officially issued on November 5, 2007. It consists of six stamps, each with a face value of 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 7.20 yuan. The stamps were designed by Wang Huming, with Tong Liying serving as the responsible editor, and printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory using offset printing. The miniature sheet uses imitation Xuan paper material with new embossing and debossing techniques. Materials were provided by the Palace Museum, the Qufu Cultural Relics Administration, the Xi'an Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Management Office, and the Shanghai Museum.

This set is the third group in the "Ancient Chinese Calligraphy" series of special stamps. It features six milestone calligraphic masterpieces from the Wei-Jin to Tang dynasties, tracing the development of regular script from its early formation, through the Wei stele transformations, to its maturation during the early and high Tang periods. The stamps present the dignified and precise beauty of regular script, preserving the legacy of Chinese calligraphy.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Xuanshi Biao

A masterpiece by Zhong Yao of the Three Kingdoms period, revered as the father of regular script. It evolved from clerical script, with simple and elegant brushwork, representing an early model of regular script.

Zhang Menglong Stele

A representative work of the Northern Wei stele style, with bold and vigorous strokes, combining square and round forms, and a sharp and powerful spirit. It is considered the finest of the Wei steles and the pinnacle of Northern Dynasty regular script.

Inscription of Liquan at Jiucheng Palace

A fine regular script work by Ouyang Xun of the early Tang Dynasty, characterized by strict structure and balanced composition. It is a benchmark for Tang regular script and is known as the "number one regular script under heaven."

Preface to the Sacred Teaching of the Wild Goose Pagoda

A masterpiece by Chu Suiliang, with elegant and flowing lines, opening a new style of refined and graceful Tang regular script.

Yan Qinli Stele

A late work by Yan Zhenqing, with bold and robust strokes, showcasing the mature and grand "Yan style," which had a profound influence on later calligraphy.

Mysterious Pagoda Stele

A classic stele by Liu Gongquan, with strong and lean strokes, known for its "Liu bones." Together with the Yan style, it is referred to as "Yan tendons and Liu bones," serving as a model for later generations.

Artistic and Design Features

The six stamps share a uniform vertical format, using a black background with white characters to reproduce the original stele rubbings. The titles and national inscriptions are vertically arranged on the right side. The large sheet uses standard offset printing, while the miniature sheet innovatively uses imitation Xuan paper with embossing to create a tactile experience of the stele inscriptions. The overall design is simple and elegant, continuing the design language of the running script and clerical script calligraphy series.

This stamp set is a special issue in the ancient Chinese calligraphy series, available in stamp set, large sheet, and imitation Xuan paper embossed miniature sheet formats. Collectors often collect all five major script styles—seal, clerical, regular, running, and cursive—to complete the full calligraphy thematic collection, making this a popular and classic item in classical Chinese culture-themed stamp collections.