Scott No: 1974-80
Serial number: J120
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: October 10, 1985
Denomination: 116 fen
Designers: Shao Bolin
Size of stamps: 93*26mm
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition: 24 (3*8)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

J120 "60th Anniversary of the Founding of the Palace Museum" commemorative stamps were issued on October 10, 1985. The set consists of 4 stamps, printed by photogravure, in a vertical four-stamp se-tenant format, designed by Shao Bolin, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory.

Theme of the Set

The Palace Museum was formally established in 1925, and this set commemorates the 60th anniversary of its founding. Taking the architectural complex along the central axis of the Forbidden City as its subject, it unfolds the scroll in sequence from south to north, presenting the grand and rigorous layout of the ancient palace architecture of the Forbidden City, highlighting the brilliant achievements of ancient Chinese architectural art, and at the same time embodying the important value of the Palace Museum in protecting ancient buildings, collecting cultural relics, and carrying forward Chinese history and culture.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Crimson Towers Piercing the Clouds

The image shows the Meridian Gate, the Golden Water River, and the Gate of Supreme Harmony. The Meridian Gate is the southern gate of the Forbidden City, the Golden Water River winds across in front of the gate, and the Gate of Supreme Harmony is the entrance to the outer court and the gateway into the core area of the imperial palace.

Bright Sun over Taihe

The image presents the three great halls: the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. The three great halls stand at the center of the outer court and were the places where grand ceremonies and major court assemblies were held in ancient times; they are the most representative core buildings of the Forbidden City architectural complex.

Heaven and Earth in Harmony

The image depicts the three rear palaces: the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. This is the central area of the inner court, where the emperor and empress lived and handled inner-court affairs; the names Qian and Kun embody the traditional concept of the harmony of yin and yang.

Spring Light in the Jade Garden

The image shows the Imperial Garden and the Gate of Divine Prowess at the northern end. The Imperial Garden is the imperial family's resting garden, with flowers, trees, pavilions, and terraces arranged in picturesque disorder, and the Gate of Divine Prowess is the northern gate of the Forbidden City. The entire long scroll concludes here.

Artistic Design Features

The set adopts the form of a traditional ruled-line painting long scroll, with a bird's-eye view. The four stamps are printed vertically as a se-tenant strip, joining into a complete scroll of the central axis. Yellow tiles and red walls are paired with a blue-green ground, and the colors are dignified and elegant, with cloud patterns dotted throughout, carrying a lasting antique charm. The continuous composition is completed in one breath. It is a classic se-tenant architectural work among JT stamps.