Scott No: 2249-53
Serial number: T144
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: November 25, 1989
Denomination: 88 fen
Designers: Liu Xiangping
Size of stamps: 60*30mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 30(3*10)
Printing process: Photogravures
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T144 "West Lake, Hangzhou" special stamps were issued on November 25, 1989. The set consists of 4 stamps plus 1 souvenir sheet, printed by photogravure, with a stamp size of 60 × 30 mm, perforation gauge 11 × 11.5, and 30 stamps per sheet. The stamps were designed by Liu Xiangping, the souvenir sheet by Yang Mingyi, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory.

Theme of the Set

West Lake is a representative of Jiangnan landscapes, and the Ten Scenes of West Lake are famous throughout the world. This set selects four classic scenes of West Lake, corresponding respectively to the scenery of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, integrating lake and mountains, architecture, and poetic imagery, showcasing the graceful and gentle Jiangnan charm of West Lake and conveying its profound cultural heritage of landscape and humanity. It is a classic among scenic-themed stamps and was voted the Best Stamp of 1989.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Spring Dawn on the Su Causeway

The image shows the Su Causeway in spring, with the long causeway crossing the lake surface, peach blossoms and willows lining both banks, and distant mountains tinged with dark green. The Su Causeway was built under Su Shi's direction when he served as prefect of Hangzhou. It ranks first among the Ten Scenes of West Lake; with thin morning mist and willows interspersed with peach blossoms, it is the iconic spring scenery of West Lake.

Breezes Ruffling Lotuses at the Quyuan

The image depicts the summer scene of Breezes Ruffling Lotuses at the Quyuan, with lotus leaves spreading across the lake surface, lotuses in full bloom, and pavilions hidden among the lotus clusters. This place has had a wine-making courtyard since ancient times; in the summer evening breeze the fragrance of lotus drifts, combining the beauty of garden and lake scenery.

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon

The image presents Xiaoyingzhou in the middle of the lake, with three stone pagodas standing on the water. On mid-autumn moonlit nights, candles are lit inside the pagodas, and moonlight, lamplight, and lake light reflect one another. It is the most poetic autumn-night landscape of West Lake and an iconic symbol of the lake.

Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge

The image portrays the Broken Bridge in winter. After snow, when the sky first clears, the ice and snow on the sunny side of the bridge melt while snow remains on the shady side, so the bridge appears broken yet unbroken. The Broken Bridge is the starting point of the Bai Causeway, and legend has it that Lady White and Xu Xian met here, blending landscape with folk legend.

West Lake, Hangzhou (Souvenir Sheet)

This is an ink-wash freehand panoramic view of West Lake, with continuous lakes and mountains and vast misty waters, encompassing the overall layout of West Lake. The border is blue and features ancient poems from the Tang and Song dynasties praising West Lake; poetry and painting are paired, with a distant and profound artistic conception.

Artistic Design Features

The set adopts a fresh and elegant Jiangnan landscape painting style, with soft and transparent tones. The four stamps unfold the four seasons in sequence through separate scenes, with an expansive and ethereal composition. The souvenir sheet uses ink-wash freehand brushwork to command the panorama, differing from the realistic separate scenes of the stamp set, while the blue border with poetry sets off the classical poetic flavor. The whole set combines the delicacy of fine brushwork with the ethereal quality of freehand brushwork, effectively expressing the misty, rainy, refined, and graceful temperament of West Lake.