Scott No: 2069-71
Serial number: 1999-9
Values in set: 2
Souvenir sheet: 1
Denomination: 620 fen
Denomination of S/S: 800 fen
Date of issue: 23 August 1999
Designers: Zhao Maoshent
Size: 50*30mm
Size of S/S stamp: 52*93mm
Size of S/S: 85*150mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: offset
Printer: Henan Post and Telecommunication Printing works

The commemorative stamp set The 22nd Universal Postal Union Congress was issued on August 23, 1999. It consists of two stamps with a total face value of 6.20 yuan. A souvenir sheet was issued on the same day with a face value of 8.00 yuan. It was designed by Zhao Maosheng and printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory using offset printing. This was the first time the Universal Postal Union Congress was held in China and the top-level international postal event held in China in the 20th century. The stamps link the origins of the Universal Postal Union with the main venue of this congress, bearing witness to the exchange and collaboration of the global postal industry.

The Universal Postal Union is an intergovernmental international organization that coordinates international postal affairs. It was founded in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. The 22nd Universal Postal Union Congress was held in Beijing. The congress discussed the direction of global postal development and promoted international mail exchange. The stamp set features two conference sites: one showing Bern, the birthplace of the Universal Postal Union, and the other showing the main venue of the Beijing congress. The souvenir sheet takes the congress theme as its core, balancing historical origins with the contemporary event, symbolizing that postal services transcend national borders and connect the world, and highlighting China's capability in hosting an international postal event.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Site of the First Universal Postal Union Congress

The main image is the classical building of the Universal Postal Union headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, with the Alps snow mountains in the background. Bern is the birthplace of the Universal Postal Union. In 1874, multiple countries signed the Treaty of Bern here, and the Universal Postal Union was formally established, laying the foundation for international postal interconnection and representing the starting point of a century of international postal history.

Site of the 22nd Universal Postal Union Congress

The main image is the Beijing International Convention Center, with the silhouette of the Great Wall in the background. This is the venue of the congress. The Great Wall, as a symbol of Chinese civilization, is combined with the modern conference building, symbolizing the intersection of ancient civilization and modern postal services and representing the integration of China Post into the world and the building of a postal bridge connecting the five continents.

Souvenir Sheet: The 22nd Universal Postal Union Congress

The main image of the souvenir sheet is the emblem of the congress. The background features ancient Chinese couriers, modern aircraft, ships, trains, and other postal transmission symbols, paired with world map elements. The ancient courier represents China's long tradition of communication. Modern transportation symbolizes the contemporary international postal transmission network. It symbolizes the continuous lineage of communication from ancient to modern times and the Universal Postal Union joining hands to connect the world, reflecting the connotation of this congress: "Postal Services – Communicating Globally."

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses realistic architectural painting. The compositions are steady, with simple and grand colors. The offset printing provides clean color blocks and clear, accurate building outlines. The two stamps contrast a foreign site and a Chinese site, reviewing the origins of the Universal Postal Union and focusing on the Beijing event, echoing ancient and modern. The souvenir sheet integrates ancient and modern communication elements. The design is simple and concise, complementing the stamp set and jointly recording this international congress written into the history of China Post. It belongs to the category of international postal themed commemorative stamps.