Scott No: 2829-32
Serial number: 1998-2
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: January 18, 1998
Designers: Guo Chenghui ; Yan Bingwu;
Pan Keming
Size: 50*30mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: offset

The stamp set Lingnan Courtyard Gardens, catalog number 1998-2, was issued on January 18, 1998. It consists of four stamps, produced using offset printing. The stamps measure 50×30 mm, with a perforation gauge of 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 40 stamps. The stamps were designed by Guo Chenghui, Yan Bingwu, and Pan Keming, and printed by Shenyang Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory in Liaoning Province.

This stamp set features the four famous gardens of Lingnan in Guangdong. Lingnan gardens differ from northern imperial gardens and Jiangnan literati gardens. Relying on a subtropical climate, they feature compact and flexible layouts and light, transparent architecture. They excel at using limited space to create a courtyard atmosphere where every step reveals a new view. Through these four classic private gardens, the stamp set showcases the unique garden design philosophy and residential garden culture of Lingnan.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Keyuan

Keyuan is located in Dongguan, Guangdong, and was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. It is a representative of Lingnan gardens. The garden covers a small area, with buildings of varying heights that integrate residences, studies, pavilions, and towers into one. The image features the iconic Keyuan Tower as the main subject, complemented by courtyards, ponds, and houses, reflecting Keyuan's garden design characteristics of seeing the large within the small and exquisite refinement.

Liangyuan

Liangyuan is located in Foshan, Guangdong, and was a private garden built by the Liang family during the Qing Dynasty. The garden contains numerous unusual rocks and is known as the "Stone Garden." The image presents the main courtyard of the garden, highlighting the courtyard rocks, ancient trees, and connected buildings, recreating Liangyuan's style of creating a serene and elegant setting with rocks and pavilions.

Qinghuiyuan

Qinghuiyuan is located in Shunde and was first built in the Ming Dynasty, later expanded during the Qing Dynasty. The garden is rich in water features, with extensive lotus ponds. Pavilions are built by the ponds, and southern flowers and trees are planted throughout. The image depicts the lotus pond, pavilions, and halls in the garden, reflecting the subtropical courtyard scenery of Lingnan gardens, where waterside pavilions and lush plants accompany each other.

Yuyinshanfang

Yuyinshanfang is located in Panyu, Guangzhou, also known as Yuyinyuan. It is the most completely preserved of the four famous gardens. The garden is known for its concealed layout, with bridges, corridors, and waterside pavilions interwoven. The image focuses on the exquisite waterside pavilion and the surrounding courtyard buildings, showcasing its ingenious spatial design techniques.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamps draw on the expressive method of ancient Chinese architectural painting (jihua), using a bird's-eye perspective to present the full view of the gardens and clearly show the layout of each building group and courtyard. The images use a flat painting style to outline buildings, rocks, and vegetation, with simple and steady colors. The set brings together the four famous Lingnan gardens on stamps, filling a gap in stamps dedicated to classical Lingnan gardens.