Scott No: 2966-67
Serial number: 1999-8
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: 21 August 1999
Designers: Ji Hongmin &Yan Bingwu
Size: 30*40mm
Perforation: 11.5*11
Sheet composition: 50
Printing process: Gravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

The commemorative stamp set Centenary of the Birth of Comrade Fang Zhimin was issued on August 21, 1999. It consists of two stamps with a total face value of 1.60 yuan. It was designed by Ji Hongmin and Yan Bingwu and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process. The year 1999 marked the centenary of Fang Zhimin's birth. This stamp set commemorates the great proletarian revolutionary and military strategist Fang Zhimin, recalling his life of struggle for the cause of national liberation and carrying forward his lofty revolutionary faith and devotion to his country and people.

Fang Zhimin was a great proletarian revolutionary and military strategist and the founder of the Fujian-Zhejiang (Anhui)-Jiangxi Revolutionary Base Area and the Red Tenth Army Corps. He led the construction of the base area and led the Anti-Japanese Advance Team northward. After being captured, he remained unyielding in prison and wrote immortal works such as Lovable China and Poverty, envisioning the bright future of the Chinese nation. The stamp set features two images: a portrait and his unyielding stance in prison. It recreates Fang Zhimin's heroic image, commemorates the noble integrity of a revolutionary martyr who sacrificed his life for righteousness, and promotes the revolutionary spirit of patriotism and dedication in poverty.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Portrait of Fang Zhimin

The stamp features a portrait of Fang Zhimin in his youth, with a simple and steady background, inscribed with his birth and death years, 1899–1935. The portrait has a resolute expression and a firm gaze, displaying Fang Zhimin's spiritual character as a revolutionary leader. Fang Zhimin was born in Yiyang, Jiangxi. He devoted himself to the revolution, founded the Fujian-Zhejiang-Jiangxi Soviet Area, carried out the agrarian revolution in the base area, and built red political power, working tirelessly for the revolutionary cause.

Unyielding and Unbending

The stamp uses a red background, with a full-length standing image of Fang Zhimin, overprinted with the text of the manuscript Lovable China. In 1935, Fang Zhimin was captured in battle. Facing the enemy's threats and inducements, he remained steadfast in his faith. In prison, he wrote a large number of manuscripts, expressing his deep love for the motherland and his beautiful hopes for a new China, highlighting the noble character of Communists—poor, pure, and simple.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses realistic figure portrait painting. The tones are solemn and dignified, and the figures are expressive. The photogravure printing provides delicate layers, effectively expressing the texture of the portrait and the details of the manuscript text. The two stamps contrast stillness and dynamism: one captures the figure's portrait, and the other displays his unyielding spirit in prison. The combination of image and text is highly expressive. It is a classic modern commemorative stamp in the category of red revolutionary figures.