Scott No: -
Serial number: 2016-24
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: Sept 4, 2016
Denomination: 240 fen
Designer: Li Yunzhong, Yuan Yishan
Size of stamps: 38 * 50 mm
Perforation: 13 * 13.5
Sheet composition:
12 for Sheet I;
6 for Sheet II (3 Sets)
Size of sheet:
190 * 200 mm for Sheet I;
230 * 120 mm for Sheet II
Size of S/S: 86 * 125 mm
Size of S/S stamp: 64 * 90 mm
Perforation of S/S: 13.5 * 12.5
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Works

China Post issued a set of two special stamps and one souvenir sheet titled "Xuanzang" on September 4, 2016.

Xuanzang, born in Goushi, Luozhou (present-day Yanshi, Luoyang, Henan), was a Buddhist scholar, traveler, and translator of Buddhist scriptures during the Tang Dynasty. He was the founder of the Faxiang school of Buddhism and is venerated as the "Tripitaka Master." He became a monk at the age of 13 and traveled widely to study Buddhism. Disturbed by the discrepancies and contradictions he found among various Buddhist texts, he resolved to journey westward to seek the authentic Dharma. During the Zhenguan reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang, he set out from Liangzhou, passed through Yumen Pass, and traveled west to India, where he studied at Nalanda Monastery, then the center of Indian Buddhism. He also traveled and studied throughout various regions of India, engaging in debates with local scholars, which brought him great renown. In the 19th year of the Zhenguan era (645 CE), he returned to Chang'an. He translated 75 Buddhist scriptures in 1,335 fascicles, profoundly influencing the development of Buddhist thought in China. His works, including the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which documents his journey, and his translations of the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra and the Heart Sutra, have been passed down to later generations.

The stamp designs are executed in the traditional Chinese gongbi (meticulous brushwork) style with rich colors, capturing the figures in vivid detail and evoking a sense of antique elegance. The souvenir sheet features the Heart Sutra, translated by Xuanzang, as its background, seamlessly integrated with the overall design.

Additionally, a special souvenir sheet of four connected stamps (four-in-one) has been produced on silk material, with a face value of 24 yuan and a sheet size of 202 × 280 mm.