Scott No: 364-366
Serial number: C53
Values in set: 3
Date of issue: July 20, 1958
Denomination: 34 fen
Designer: Qiu Ling
Engraver: Ju Wenjun, Gao Zhengyu
Size of stamps: 24*30.5mm
Perforation: 14
Sheet composition: 110(11*10)
Printing process: Engraving
Printing House: China Modern Times Printing Works

Issued on July 20, 1958, the complete set consists of three engraved stamps, designed by Qiu Ling, engraved by Gao Zhenyu and Ju Wenjun, and printed by China Modern Printing Company. Each stamp measures 24mm × 30.5mm, with a perforation gauge of 14 degrees. The full sheet contains 110 stamps arranged in an 11×10 layout. The total face value of the set is 0.34 yuan. The Chinese People’s Resolve to Safeguard Peace, 4 fen, circulation: 4 million. Peoples of the World, Unite to Defend Peace, 8 fen, circulation: 8 million. Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy, 22 fen, circulation: 3 million. The set has no gum on the reverse.

Main Theme of the Set

The Conference for Disarmament and International Cooperation was held in Stockholm, Sweden, from July 16 to 22, 1958. Convened in accordance with a resolution adopted by the Standing Committee of the World Peace Council in October 1957, the gathering brought together delegates to exchange extensive views on arms reduction and the strengthening of international cooperation, explore ways to remove obstacles to disarmament, call for an end to the arms race and a ban on the testing and deployment of nuclear weapons, and foster cooperative relations among all nations founded on equality, mutual respect and independence. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications released this stamp set while the conference was in session, to express the firm stance of the Chinese people in favour of peace, disarmament and international collaboration. Notably, the Ministry issued an official notice in 1978 ordering these stamps to be withdrawn from sale and placed in centralized storage, giving it an unusual history among the early Ji-Te stamps.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

The Chinese People’s Resolve to Safeguard Peace

Set against a vivid, brilliant crimson backdrop, the centre of the design features a full-blooming peony, an emblem of auspiciousness and well-being. Five doves of peace circle the flower, symbolizing the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence consistently advocated and upheld by China. In the lower-left corner rests the solemn silhouette of Tiananmen Rostrum. The composition is balanced and harmonious. Swirling, dynamic lines lend the work strong decorative appeal and a light, cheerful mood, conveying the Chinese people’s love for peace and their determination to defend it.

Peoples of the World, Unite to Defend Peace

The central motif is an olive branch, the timeless symbol of peace, tied with a tri-coloured ribbon fluttering in the wind. Soft auspicious clouds drift behind it, creating a graceful, rhythmic harmony. The olive branch stands for global peace and international friendship; the clouds signify tranquility, while the multi-hued ribbon embodies the unity of peoples of all races across the globe. The deep green background carries a serene, lyrical quality, suggesting the irreversible momentum of the world peace movement and encapsulating the call for solidarity among all nations in pursuit of peace.

Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy

A sober, resolute tone is established by the brown background. Beneath a radiant atomic symbol lies the outline of factory buildings. The atomic symbol represents scientific and technological power, while the factory silhouette symbolizes peaceful construction. Combined, they express the Chinese people’s unwavering opposition to nuclear war and their conviction that atomic energy should serve humanity’s welfare rather than military ends. This design highlights the conference’s core mission: preserving peace in the nuclear age.

Artistic Features

All three vertical engraved stamps adopt distinct dominant hues: red, green and brown, each carrying clear symbolic meaning. Red conveys warmth and optimism, green serenity and lyricism, and brown steadfast resolve, matching the respective themes of each stamp. Created by the crafts artist Qiu Ling, the designs possess outstanding decorative quality. Highly refined motifs — peonies, peace doves, olive branches, auspicious clouds, tri-coloured ribbons and the atomic symbol — are arranged in delicate, attractive compositions that place the thematic message front and centre. The 22-fen high-value stamp has the smallest print run and serves as the key stamp of the set. Due to the historical withdrawal and centralized storage order, its surviving population was affected, making this peace-themed issue one of the most legendary releases among vintage Ji-Te stamps.