Scott No: 1468
Serial number: J36
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: March 14, 1979
Denomination: 8 fen
Designer: Li Yinqing
Size of stamps: 30*40mm
Perforation: 11.5*11
Sheet composition: 50(10*5)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

J36 "Commemoration of the Centenary of Albert Einstein's Birth" commemorative stamp was issued on March 14, 1979. The set consists of 1 stamp, printed by photogravure, designed by Li Yinqing, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. Stamp size 30 mm × 40 mm, perforation gauge 11.5 × 11, 50 stamps per sheet.

Theme of the Set

Albert Einstein was an epoch-making theoretical physicist of the 20th century and the founder of the theory of relativity, with milestone contributions to the development of modern physics. 1979 marked the centenary of Einstein's birth. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued this stamp to pay tribute to this great scientific master. It is also one of the few complete commemorative stamp sets in New China specially issued for a foreign scientist, embodying China's concept of respecting science and esteeming the spirit of scientific exploration and fitting the era's atmosphere of advocating science and encouraging the pursuit of knowledge in the early period of reform and opening up.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

Portrait of Einstein

The main subject of the design is a sketch portrait of Einstein, vividly restoring his iconic fluffy white hair and his calm, wise expression. In the lower left of the portrait is the famous mass-energy equivalence formula of special relativity, E=mc², indicating his most core scientific achievement. On the right side of the stamp, vertically printed, is the thematic text "Commemoration of the Centenary of Albert Einstein's Birth 1879–1979"; the lower left corner marks the face value, and the bottom bears the words "China People's Post." The composition is clean and condensed.

Artistic Design Features

The set is a single vertical-format portrait stamp, using the expressive technique of sketching, with soft, delicate lines, focusing on depicting the figure's expression and temperament, without superfluous complicated background, with the visual focus concentrated on the scientist himself and his iconic formula. The text is arranged vertically, paired with a simple layout, dignified and elegant. The photogravure printing well restores the light-and-shade layers of the sketch, carrying profound scientific significance with an extremely simple picture. It is a work of simple and classic style among science-themed stamps of the JT period.