Scott No: 2763-64
Serial number: 1997-7
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: Zeng Xiaolian;
Designers: May 9,1997
Size: 40*32mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 20
Printing process: gravure-engraving combined

The special stamp set Rare Birds (Jointly Issued by China and Sweden), catalog number 1997-7, was issued on May 9, 1997. It consists of two stamps, produced using the combined offset and intaglio printing process. The stamps measure 40×32 mm, with a perforation gauge of 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 20 stamps. The stamps were designed by Zeng Xiaolian of China and Inge Karin Eriksson of Sweden, engraved by Czesław Słania of Sweden, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works. This is a joint issue by the postal services of China and Sweden.

This set was jointly issued to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sweden. The stamps feature representative pheasants from both countries: the white-bellied golden pheasant, endemic to China, and the ring-necked pheasant, widely inhabiting Sweden. Using rare birds as natural envoys, the stamps convey the concept of wildlife protection, promote cultural exchange between China and Sweden, and enhance friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

White-Bellied Golden Pheasant

The white-bellied golden pheasant is a rare pheasant endemic to China and a national first-class protected wild animal. It mainly inhabits the mountain forests of Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and southeastern Tibet in southwestern China. In the image, the male bird has gorgeous plumage, metallic green neck feathers, a pure white belly, and long tail feathers covered with alternating black and white horizontal stripes, standing among vegetation. It has a dignified bearing and is a landmark bird of the mountain forests of southwestern China.

Ring-Necked Pheasant

The ring-necked pheasant, also known as the common pheasant, originated in Asia and was later introduced to Europe, where it has bred widely in Sweden and is deeply loved by the local people. In the image, the ring-necked pheasant has a distinctive white neck ring, brown-red variegated feathers, and a long, spreading tail. The species is highly adaptable and widely distributed in woodlands and farmlands of Northern Europe, making it one of Sweden's most representative wild birds.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamps use the combined offset and intaglio printing process, with fine and solid engraved lines that delicately reproduce the texture of the birds' feathers. The two stamps share a unified compositional format, with one bird and one scene each, and simple vegetation in the background to highlight the main subjects. One is a rare bird of the mountain forests of southwestern China, and the other is a common wild pheasant of Sweden. The two pheasants echo each other, combining scientific realistic beauty. It is a classic work in the category of jointly issued animal stamps between China and other countries.