Scott No: 2972
Serial number: 1999-10
Values in set: 1
Denomination: 80 fen
Date of issue: 7 September 1999
Designers: Fang Jun and Wen Yuan
Size: 30*40mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 50
Printing process: offset
Printer: Shenyang Post & Telecommunication Printing Works

The commemorative stamp 125th Anniversary of the Founding of the Universal Postal Union was issued on September 7, 1999. It consists of one stamp with a face value of 0.80 yuan. It was designed by Fang Jun and Wen Yuan and printed by Shenyang Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory in Liaoning Province using offset printing. The issuance date coincided with the 22nd Universal Postal Union Congress being held in Beijing. This stamp commemorates the 125-year development of the Universal Postal Union since its founding in 1874 and highlights the mission of postal services in connecting the world.

The Universal Postal Union was founded in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. It is an intergovernmental international organization responsible for coordinating international postal affairs and has built a globally interconnected international postal network. This stamp combines the iconic monument of the Universal Postal Union, a world map, and the Great Wall. It symbolizes that the Universal Postal Union connects the globe across mountains and seas. The Great Wall represents China as the host of this congress, actively integrating into the international postal family and conveying the concept that postal services have no borders and communicate with the whole world.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

125th Anniversary of the Founding of the Universal Postal Union

The main image is a line drawing of the Universal Postal Union monument, composed of human figures surrounding the globe, symbolizing that people of all countries are closely connected through postal services. The background is a light blue world map, and the Great Wall is depicted at the bottom of the design. In 1874, multiple countries signed the Treaty of Bern, and the Universal Postal Union was formally born. Over 125 years, the Universal Postal Union has continued to promote the free transmission of international mail and the exchange and development of global postal services. In 1999, the 22nd Universal Postal Union Congress was held in Beijing, an important international event in the history of China Post. This stamp and the 1999-9 The 22nd Universal Postal Union Congress stamp complement each other, jointly recording this historical moment.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp uses a decorative painting style. The blue-purple gradient background is steady and grand. White lines outline the monument. The Great Wall is depicted realistically, with a clear hierarchy. The offset printing provides even and clean colors with clear and smooth lines. The single-stamp composition is concise, integrating international postal symbols with representative elements of Chinese civilization. It echoes the Universal Postal Union Congress stamp issued in the same period. It is a commemorative stamp in the category of international postal themes.