Scott No: -
Serial number: 2026-1
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: January 5th, 2026
Denomination: 240 fen
Designer: Wang Hongwei, Zhao Enzhong
Size of stamps: 36 * 36 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I;
6 for Sheet II
Size of sheet:
168 * 196 mm for Sheet I;
128 * 180 mm for Sheet II
Printing process: Offset and Engraving
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Year of Bingwu is a special zodiac stamp for the Year of the Horse issued by China Post in January 2026, and it belongs to the fourth series of the Chinese Zodiac Stamp Collection. The set consists of 2 stamps, each with a face value of 1.20 yuan and a square format measuring 36 millimeters on each side. The first stamp features a single horse against a colored background, symbolizing self-improvement. The second stamp, with a white background, depicts a group of horses, representing unity and harmony. The special Year of Bingwu stamps will be officially released on January 5, 2026.

The first stamp of the set is titled Galloping for Grand Endeavors. Centered on the core theme of "leaping forward in a new era", it portrays a red horse galloping above auspicious clouds, with its mane blazing like flames and its hooves racing with the wind. The second stamp, named Horses Galloping for Blessings, embodies the core imagery of "thousands of horses galloping forward for a thousand miles", showcasing three running steeds. In traditional Chinese culture, the number three signifies "a multitude", implying continuous progress and joint striving. The background of the patterns and the horses’ bodies are adorned with traditional auspicious motifs such as cloud patterns, flame patterns, and interlocking branch patterns, which not only imply endless good fortune but also enhance the profound heritage of Oriental aesthetics.

Breaking the boundaries of professional design for the first time, the stamp design was open to the public for submissions starting from April 27, 2025, with the deadline on August 15. A total of 440 entries were received from 169 contributors, whose ages ranged from 8 to 84 years old. The final design was selected through voting by 101 public judges from different regions, age groups and occupations, combined with evaluations by professional experts.