Scott No: -
Serial number: 2018-32
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: November 16, 2018
Denomination: 480 fen
Designer: Shen Jiahong
Size of stamps: 40 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I;
8 for Sheet II
Size of sheet:
200 * 160 mm for Sheet I
200 * 120 mm for Sheet II
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Stamp Printing Works

China Post scheduled the release of a commemorative stamp set titled Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics – Snow Sports on November 16, 2018. The set contains 4 stamps, with their design themes named Cross-Country Skiing, Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, and Freestyle Skiing respectively. The total face value of the full set is 4.80 yuan.

Snow sports are winter sports with a long history. At present, the sports listed as Winter Olympic events include freestyle skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, nordic combined, luge, bobsleigh, snowboarding, alpine skiing, etc.

Cross-country skiing is a sport that takes place on hilly snowfields, using skiing equipment and applying basic techniques such as climbing, descending, turning, and gliding. Originating from the Alpine region, alpine skiing is also known as "Alpine skiing" or "mountain skiing". It is a sport that perfectly combines speed and skill, integrating strength and elegance. Biathlon, which originated in Norway, is a sport that combines two competitive events with different characteristics: cross-country skiing and shooting. Freestyle skiing began in the 1960s and developed on the basis of alpine skiing. It is divided into events such as moguls, aerials, and ski ballet.

The stamps mainly feature geometric patterns extracted from the classic movements of the four snow sports. Combining points, lines, and planes, the dynamic sense formed by the regular arrangement of points and lines is used to show the sense of speed, strength, and aesthetic shape of the snow sports. The athletes on the four stamps are presented with different combination rules formed by the arrangement of points and lines – horizontal lines, concentric circles, dot grids, and radial lines respectively – so as to reflect the sports characteristics and athletic tension of each snow sport. The background of the stamps uses streamlined wavy lines and gradient color bands to organically connect the Winter Olympic environmental elements such as snow-capped mountains, snow pines, and snowflakes, embodying the rhythm and melody of snow sports.

The stamps were designed by Shen Jiahong, a stamp designer from the Stamp Printing Bureau. He has previously designed commemorative and special stamps such as The 10th National Games of the People's Republic of China (souvenir sheet), Commemoration of the Opening of Expo 2010 Shanghai China, Bank of China, Offshore Oil, and Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival.

The printing process of this stamp set is also ingeniously crafted. The snowflakes printed with special materials are crystal clear, and the hollowed-out "BEIJING 2022" on the border looms faintly. The stamps were printed using photogravure technology by Beijing Stamp Printing House.