Scott No: 2850-54
Serial number: 1998-6
Values in set: 4
Souvenir sheet: 1
Date of issue: March 26, 1998
Designers: Li Rongqing; Li Changqing; Zhang Yueju
Size of stamp: 50*38 mm
Size of S/S: 150*85 mm
Size of S/S stamp: 93*52mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 32
Printing process: offset

The special stamp set Jiuzhaigou Valley, catalog number 1998-6, was issued on March 26, 1998. It consists of four stamps and one souvenir sheet, produced using offset printing. The stamps measure 50×38 mm, with a perforation gauge of 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 32 stamps. The stamps were designed by Li Rongqing, Li Changqing, and Zhang Youju, with photography by Fu Fangqi, Li Rongqing, Zhang Dezhong, and Yu Ning. The souvenir sheet photography was by Wang Jianjun. The set was printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory.

This stamp set features four representative water landscapes of Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan. Jiuzhaigou is located in the heart of the Minshan Mountains in Aba, Sichuan. It is named after the nine Tibetan villages in the valley. It is renowned for its colorful lakes, flying waterfalls, forests, and snow-capped mountains, which together form a unique plateau karst water landscape, often called a fairy-tale world. The stamps showcase the pristine natural scenery of Jiuzhaigou, highlighting the beauty of the motherland's mountains and rivers and raising public awareness of nature reserves and ecological environmental protection.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Grass Lake

Grass Lake is a plateau wetland lake in the upper reaches of Jiuzhaigou. The water surface is calm, with continuous aquatic plants along the shore and forests surrounding it. The image presents the tranquil scenery of the lake blending with the meadows, with the calm water reflecting the mountains and forests, fully displaying the fresh and gentle pristine character of the plateau wetland.

Five-Flower Lake

Five-Flower Lake is the most famous landscape in Jiuzhaigou. The lake water forms brilliant colors due to travertine deposits and aquatic algae. The image presents the blue-green interwoven, multicolored changing lake surface, paired with colorful forests on the shore, embodying the unique landscape charm of "no need to see water after returning from Jiuzhaigou."

Shuzheng Waterfall

Shuzheng Waterfall is an iconic waterfall group in Jiuzhaigou. The lake water cascades down step by step along the travertine beach, with the waterfall scattered among the trees. The image depicts layer upon layer of rushing currents, with trees interspersed among the waterfalls, recreating the unique landscape of waterfalls and forests coexisting.

Nuorilang Waterfall

Nuorilang Waterfall is a large travertine waterfall in China. Its broad waterfall surface spreads out horizontally, with water pouring down from the steep cliff. The image presents the full panoramic view of the broad and grand waterfall, surrounded by colorful forests, highlighting the majestic and magnificent momentum of the waterfall.

Souvenir Sheet: Long Lake

Long Lake is the largest lake in Jiuzhaigou, located at the end of Zechawa Valley. The lake is deep, backed by continuous snow-capped mountains, with ancient trees standing along the shore. The image integrates snow-capped mountains, forests, and the deep lake surface, displaying the distant and vast mountain-and-water artistic conception of Jiuzhaigou.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamps are designed based on actual photographic materials, with colors restored to natural scenes. The images are fresh and transparent, faithfully reproducing the rich color layers of Jiuzhaigou's lake water, colorful forests, and waterfalls. The four stamps progress from calm lakes to flying waterfalls, with the scenery shifting from gentle to majestic, with balanced compositions. The souvenir sheet features a grand and expansive view. The entire set uses a realistic natural scenery style, fully presenting the diverse water landscape forms of Jiuzhaigou. It is a classic work in the category of Chinese scenery stamps.