Scott No: 2769-74
Serial number: 1997-9
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: Jiang Weijie; LI Qingfa
Designers: June 13,1997
Size: 30*40mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 50
Printing process: offset

The special stamp set Maijishan Grottoes, catalog number 1997-9, was issued on June 13, 1997. It consists of six stamps, produced using offset printing. The stamps measure 30×40 mm, with a perforation gauge of 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 50 stamps. The stamps were designed by Jiang Weijie and Li Qingfa and printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory.

The Maijishan Grottoes are located in Tianshui, Gansu. They are one of China's four great grottoes. First built during the Later Qin period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, they were continuously excavated and renovated over more than ten dynasties, preserving over seven thousand painted sculptures. They are known as the "Oriental Sculpture Gallery." Unlike the stone carvings of other grottoes, the clay sculptures of Maijishan are known for their delicate, vivid, and lifelike painted sculptures. The stamps select six representative sculptures in chronological order, showcasing the stylistic evolution of Maijishan painted sculptures from the Northern Dynasties to the Song Dynasty and presenting the extremely high level of sculptural achievement in ancient Chinese painted sculpture art.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Northern Wei – Buddha and Attendant Bodhisattvas

The sculptures are from a Northern Wei cave. The main Buddha is in the center, with attendant bodhisattvas standing on both sides. The Buddha's countenance is dignified and steady, and the lines of the clothing are expansive and flowing. It is a typical style of early Northern Wei Buddhist sculpture, reflecting the vigorous and simple sculptural style of this period.

Northern Wei – Attendant Bodhisattva and Disciple

The sculptures are a combination of a bodhisattva and a disciple. The figures have an approachable posture and gentle expressions. The sculpting technique is realistic and soft, breaking away from the solemn and rigid formula of early sculptures and highlighting the lifelike artistic characteristics of Maijishan clay sculpture.

Western Wei – Young Female Attendant

Taken from Cave 123 at Maijishan. The young girl has twin buns, a childish face, a smile at the corners of her mouth, and an innocent and lively expression. It is the most famous painted sculpture image in the Maijishan Grottoes, representing the elegant and refined aesthetic characteristics of Western Wei sculpture.

Western Wei – Buddha

A Western Wei Buddha sculpture with a round face, simple and soft clothing, and an expansive posture. During the Western Wei period, Maijishan sculptures shifted from vigorous to refined, and the figures' temperament became warm and restrained. It is a model of Buddha sculptures from this stage.

Northern Zhou – Attendant Bodhisattva

A Northern Zhou bodhisattva sculpture with a plump and full figure and a serene and peaceful expression. The Northern Zhou sculptural style shifted toward solidity and substance, with concise sculpting techniques, laying the groundwork for the development of Sui and Tang sculpture art.

Song – Donor Figure

A Song Dynasty donor sculpture. The figure's clothing is realistic, and the expression is gentle and serene. During the Song Dynasty, the Maijishan Grottoes were renovated, and the sculptures became closer to secular human appearances, integrating the expressions and demeanor of ordinary people into Buddhist sculpture.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamps are produced based on actual photographs of the painted sculptures in the grottoes. The light background of the grotto rock walls sets off the main subjects, fully preserving the texture of the clay sculpture and the remaining traces of painted color. The six stamps are arranged in the historical sequence of Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, and Song Dynasty, clearly presenting the stylistic evolution of Maijishan painted sculptures from simple and ancient, to refined, to plump, and to secularized. The vertical format fits the standing form of the sculptures, with steady and substantial tones, faithfully reproducing the artistic charm of the thousand-year painted sculptures of the Oriental Sculpture Gallery.