Scott No: 385-388
Serial number: S27
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: December 15, 1958
Denomination: 32 fen
Designer: Hong Yongyu, Liu Shuoren
Engraver: Kong Shaohui, Tang Linshen, Gao Pinzhang, Sun Hongnian
Size of stamps:
26.5*34mm for Value 1, 2;
34*26.5mm for Value 3, 4
Perforation: 14
Sheet composition:
90(10*9) for Value 1, 2;
90(9*10) for Value 3, 4
Printing process: Engraving
Printing House: Beijing People's Printing Works

S27 "Forestry Construction" special stamps were issued on December 15, 1958. The set consists of 4 stamps, printed by engraving, with original paintings by Huang Yongyu, designed by Liu Shuoren, engraved by Tang Linkun, Kong Shaohui, Gao Pinzhang, and Sun Hongnian, and printed by the Beijing People's Printing Factory. Stamp sizes: Forest Resources and Protect the Forest measure 26.5 mm × 34.5 mm; Power-Saw Logging and Green the Motherland measure 34.5 mm × 26.5 mm; perforation gauge 14, 90 stamps per sheet, with a total face value of 0.32 yuan for the set; Forest Resources 8 fen, circulation 7.5 million copies; Protect the Forest 8 fen, circulation 8.5 million copies; Power-Saw Logging 8 fen, circulation 7.5 million copies; Green the Motherland 8 fen, circulation 8.5 million copies, without gum throughout the set.

Theme of the Set

After the founding of New China, the state vigorously advanced the greening of the land, balancing forest resource protection, rational logging, and large-scale afforestation, and giving play to the multiple values of forests in conserving soil and water and supplying timber. In 1958 the central government called on the whole country to set off an afforestation upsurge. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued this set, using Huang Yongyu's original woodcuts to completely present the full chain of forestry work—from preserving resources, patrolling and fire prevention, and rational logging to nationwide afforestation—and publicizing the important position of forestry in the national economy.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Forest Resources

In a green keynote, the design shows a vast, boundless primeval forest sea among continuous mountains, with layered emerald peaks and dense trees, displaying China's rich natural forest resources. The forest is the foundation of forestry development; this stamp focuses on presenting the appearance of the native forest and making clear the material foundation of forestry construction. This stamp was later selected by the British Stamp Collectors' Annual as one of the "Ten Best Stamps of the World."

Protect the Forest

In a deep gray-blue tone, among tall, straight dense coniferous forests, forest rangers ride through the woods on patrol, guarding the forest sea and preventing mountain fires and indiscriminate logging. Forest protection is the key to sustaining the sustainable use of forests, embodying the indispensable link of "protection" in the forestry system.

Power-Saw Logging

In a purple-brown tone, the design depicts forestry workers wearing safety helmets and holding power saws logging in the forest. It represents planned, rational logging, turning forest resources into timber raw materials needed for national construction, and is a portrayal of forest industry production.

Green the Motherland

In a blue-black tone, on the hillside groups of laborers swing spades and plant saplings, with red flags planted on the hilltops, everyone planting trees and grass together to transform barren hills and slopes. It corresponds to the nationwide afforestation movement, carrying the vision of transforming mountains and rivers and greening China, and representing the long-term development direction of forestry construction.

Artistic Design Features

The set consists of two vertical and two horizontal formats, arranged in a varied way, with a strong woodcut flavor; the engraved lines are plain and powerful, with a distinctive black-and-white printmaking style, and vivid depiction of figures and mountain forests. The four stamps form a complete logical chain: preserving resources, patrolling and protecting the forest, orderly logging, and planting trees to add greenery. Forest Resources and Power-Saw Logging have relatively small circulations and are the bottleneck stamps of the set. This set is an artistic masterpiece among the old special stamps; it was rated an excellent work in the Best Stamps of the 30th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China selection, and it is also Huang Yongyu's classic woodcut representative work on New China's stamps.