Scott No: -
Serial number: 2017-17
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: July 29, 2017
Denomination: 780 fen
Designer: Wang Huming
Size of stamps: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5
Sheet composition: 16
Sheet Size: 150 * 195 mm
Printing process: Offset (Value II Offset + Engraving)
Printing House: Henan Provincal Postage Stamp Printing Works

"Phoenix (Cultural Relics)" Special Stamps were issued by China Post on July 29, 2017, to promote phoenix culture and showcase phoenix-themed cultural relics. The full set comprises 6 stamps with the catalog number 2017-17.

The designs of the "Phoenix (Cultural Relics)" Special Stamps feature the following cultural relics respectively: Jade Phoenix (Neolithic Age), Bird Zun of the Jin Marquis (Western Zhou Dynasty), Celadon Ewer with Phoenix Head and Dragon Handle (Tang Dynasty), Golden Phoenix (Tang Dynasty), Kesi Roundel with Phoenixes Flitting among Peonies (Ming Dynasty), and Blue-and-White Jar with Phoenixes and Peonies Motif (Qing Dynasty). The total face value of the complete set is 7.80 yuan.

The phoenix, or feng huang in Chinese, is a mythical bird imagined by ancient Chinese ancestors during the totem era. It has the head of a golden pheasant, the body of a mandarin duck, the wings of a roc, the legs of a red-crowned crane, the beak of a parrot, and the tail of a peacock. As the "king of all birds", the phoenix is a symbol of auspiciousness, beauty and peace, and also served as a title for empresses in feudal China. Phoenix patterns were commonly depicted on artifacts throughout Chinese dynasties.

Jade Phoenix of the Shijiahe Culture (Neolithic Age)

A piece of jade pendant, this jade phoenix is crafted in the tuanfeng (circular phoenix) shape using the jiandi yangwen (sunken background with raised relief) technique. With its slender body, vivid posture, elegant design, exquisite craftsmanship and lifelike appearance, it represents the highest level of jade processing technology in prehistoric China and even East Asia, earning it the reputation of the "First Phoenix of China".

Bronze Phoenix Zun (Western Zhou Dynasty)

A bronze ritual vessel for storing wine, it is entirely shaped like a standing phoenix looking back. Its tail curves downward to form an elephant head, which together with its two legs forms a three-point support structure. The vessel lid and the bottom of its belly are inscribed with the characters "Made by the Marquis of Jin as a precious sacrificial vessel for the Grand Temple", indicating that it was a ritual object used in ancestral temple sacrifices by the Marquis of Jin.

Celadon Ewer with Phoenix Head and Dragon Handle (Tang Dynasty)

An imperial court porcelain ewer, it is entirely coated in celadon glaze and decorated with appliqué and incised techniques. It boasts a rigorous structure, a unique shape, innovative patterns and distinct layers. The glaze layer is relatively thick, showing a yellowish bluish-green hue with a glassy luster and smooth texture, inheriting the style of northern celadon dating back to the Northern Dynasties. It is a typical celadon artifact of the Tang Dynasty.

Baqiao Golden Phoenix (Tang Dynasty)

An ornament attached to an artifact, this golden phoenix wears a floral crown on its head, holds its head high and chest out, spreads its wings, stands firmly on its two legs, with its feathers fluttering in the wind, its tail curling upward, and its tail feathers shaped like clustered branches and leaves that rise layer by layer. The phoenix’s head, wings, tail and legs are highly dynamic, vividly depicting the moment when the golden phoenix is about to take off into the sky.

Kesi Roundel with Phoenixes Flitting among Peonies (Ming Dynasty)

A kesi (silk tapestry) embroidery piece, it is designed in the form of a roundel. A pair of phoenixes echo each other amidst peonies and peach blossoms, with the upper part connecting to the sky and the lower part linking to the "sea of fortune", exuding an atmosphere of prosperity and festivity. The background is woven with twisted gold threads, while the patterns are crafted using techniques such as kesilin (scale-weaving), guan (interlocking), gou (outlining) and mushu qiang (wooden comb shading). With bright and clear color matching and a rich composition, it is a rare masterpiece of kesi craftsmanship.

Blue-and-White Jar with Phoenixes and Peonies Motif (Qing Dynasty)

A porcelain jar with a thick body, it features bright and vivid blue-and-white coloring and clear, lively patterns. The jar lid is painted with interlocking peonies and transformed ruyi motifs, while the phoenix patterns are rendered in bold, concise and condensed brushstrokes. The base of the jar’s foot bears a blue-and-white seal script mark reading "Made in the Daoguang Reign of the Great Qing Dynasty". Both the shape and painting style of the jar exhibit distinct characteristics of its era.

The "Phoenix (Cultural Relics)" stamp set selects six of the most representative cultural relics embodying China’s phoenix culture throughout history. In accordance with the different material characteristics of the relics, six distinct printing techniques were adopted in the same stamp set for the first time, perfectly reproducing the exquisite features of the phoenix-themed cultural relics and making this stamp set highly aesthetic and distinctive.