Scott No: 1723-39
Serial number: R22
Values in set: 17
Date of issue: September 1, 1981
Denomination: 1125 fen
Designer: Chen Xiaocun, Jiang Weijie
Engraver: Sun Hongnian, Li Qingfa, Gao Pinzhang, Hu Zhengyuan, Yan Bingwu, Jiang Weijie
Size of stamps:
26*31mm for Value 1 - 8;
31*26mm for Value 9 - 17
Perforation:
11*11.5 for Value 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8;
13*13.5 for Value 4, 7;
13.5*13 for Value 9;
11.5*11 for Value 10 - 17
Sheet composition:
100(10*10) for Value 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8;
60(10*6) for Value 4, 7;
60(6*10) for Value 9;
100(10*10 for Value 10 - 17
Printing process: Engraving
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

R21 "Scenery of the Motherland Ordinary Stamps (Engraved)" ordinary stamps were issued in batches over time, with the first stamp appearing on September 1, 1981. The set consists of 17 stamps, printed by engraving, designed by Chen Xiaocong and Jiang Weijie, engraved by Sun Hongnian, Hu Zhenyuan, Li Qingfa, Yan Bingwu, Gao Pinzhang, Jiang Weijie, and Zhao Shunyi, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. The formats fall into two types, 26 mm × 31 mm and 31 mm × 26 mm; the perforation gauges differ from stamp to stamp, and the sheets come in two layouts: 100 stamps and 60 stamps.

Theme of the Set

This is the largest engraved scenery ordinary stamp set in New China, forming a sister set with the photogravure Pu 22 "Scenery of the Motherland." It selects representative famous mountains, great rivers, and scenic spots from different regions of the country, covering border regions, plateaus, islands, Jiangnan, the Central Plains, and the treasure island of Taiwan. As commonly used ordinary stamps for communications, it balances the practical postal function, using the appearance of mountains and rivers to display the vast territory and diverse natural scenery of the motherland. The engraving has a weighty texture and enjoys a high reputation in philatelic circles.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Xishuangbanna

The design presents the tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, with tall palm trees and lush vegetation—a warm, gentle tropical mountain forest scene of the southern land.

Mount Hua

The design depicts Mount Hua, the Western Great Mountain, with steep, wondrous peaks and perilous mountain forms; it is the famous mountain among the Five Great Mountains known for its wonder and peril.

Mount Tai

The design depicts Mount Tai, the Eastern Great Mountain, with vigorous and steady mountain ranges. As the first of the Five Great Mountains, it carries profound historical and cultural heritage.

Huangguoshu Waterfall

The design presents the great Huangguoshu Waterfall in Guizhou, with a huge flow rushing down from the cliff and water mist rising; it is a well-known great waterfall in China.

Hainan Scenery

With coconut trees and blue seas as the main subjects, the design expresses the tropical coastal scenery of Hainan Island, with coconut groves standing tall and the sea breeze lingering.

Tiger Hill, Suzhou

The main subject is the Tiger Hill Pagoda in Suzhou. The ancient pagoda stands on a hill; it is a classic Jiangnan scenic spot and a landmark of Gusu.

The Great Wall

The design presents the Great Wall winding and undulating among the mountains, with watchtowers scattered about; it is a landmark landscape of the Chinese nation.

Northeast Forest Sea

The design depicts the vast forest region of the Greater Khingan Mountains, with continuous layers of coniferous forest, displaying the appearance of the Northeast's primeval forests.

Tianshan Mountains

The design paints the Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang, with towering snow peaks and forests and meadows distributed below the mountain, fully displaying the magnificent scenery of the northwestern frontier.

Inner Mongolia Grasslands

The image shows the vast Inner Mongolia grasslands, with meadows spreading out and cattle and sheep scattered about, displaying the boundless, open scene of the grassland pastoral areas.

Stone Forest

The design presents the Stone Forest in Lunan, Yunnan, with wondrous peaks standing in rows and peculiar karst rock forms; it is a well-known karst landscape of the southwest.

Banping Mountain, Taiwan

The image shows Banping Mountain in Taiwan, with half of the mountain body cut away like a cliff, carrying the meaning that the two sides of the strait share the same roots and are linked by blood.

Mount Everest

The design depicts Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, with towering snow peaks and majestic momentum; it is the symbol of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Seven Star Crags

The image shows the Seven Star Crags in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, with peak forests accompanying the lake and mountains and water setting off each other—a beautiful Lingnan karst lake-and-mountain scene.

The Three Gorges of the Yangtze River

The design presents the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, with the river flowing between cliffs on both banks, the gorges magnificent and the river mighty.

Guilin Landscape

The design depicts the Guilin landscape, with upright peak forests surrounded by emerald water, embodying the clear and beautiful artistic conception of "Guilin's landscape is the finest under heaven."

Mount Huang

The design presents the wondrous peaks of Mount Huang, with strange rocks, wondrous pines, and seas of clouds blending together; it is a famous Jiangnan mountain known for its wondrous pines, strange rocks, and seas of clouds.

Artistic Design Features

The entire set is printed by engraving, with solid and delicate lines, clearly layered textures of rocks and outlines of trees, and a strong three-dimensional effect—a fine work of engraving craftsmanship. The 17 landscapes are spread across all parts of the motherland, with a balanced mix of north and south, east and west, plateaus and islands, famous mountains and great rivers. The compositions are concise and generalized, and the tones are steady and weighty; the unique tactile quality of engraving distinguishes it from the bright, soft style of the photogravure Pu 22. This set won the Best Ordinary Stamp of 1991 and is the pinnacle of China's engraved scenery ordinary stamps.