Scott No: 3098-102
Serial number: 2001-7
Values in set: 4
Souvenir sheet: 1
Denomination: 5.00 yuan
Denomination of S/S: 8.00 yuan
Date of issue: 21st April 2001
Designer: Chen Quansheng
Size of stamps: 38*50mm
Size of S/S: 144*85mm
Size of S/S stamp: 90*60mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet compositiom: 24
Printing process: gravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

This stamp set, Masterpieces of Classical Chinese Literature – Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Part I), was issued on April 21, 2001. It is a special stamp set consisting of four stamps, along with one souvenir sheet issued concurrently. The total face value of the stamps is 5 yuan, and the souvenir sheet has a face value of 8 yuan. The designer is Chen Quansheng. It was printed using photogravure by Beijing Stamp Printing Works. The perforation gauge is 12 degrees, and each stamp measures 38×50 mm. The souvenir sheet measures 144×85 mm, and the stamp within it measures 90×60 mm.

This stamp set is the opening issue of the Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio series. It features four classic stories from Pu Songling's collection of classical Chinese short stories from the Qing Dynasty. Using traditional gongbi painting, it recreates the story scenes from the novel, showcasing the fantastical and romantic literary charm of these tales and promoting the literary achievements of classical Chinese short fiction.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Yingning

The story is from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio – Yingning. Wang Zifu meets the laughter-loving fox spirit Yingning in the countryside and falls in love with her. After several searches, he brings Yingning home. Yingning is innocent and carefree by nature, loving to pick flowers and laugh. She is a highly infectious female character in the collection. The stamp depicts a scene in a courtyard under flowering trees, with Yingning leaning against a flowering branch, looking back with a smile, while Wang Zifu stands at the door gazing at her. The courtyard flowers highlight Yingning's innocent, lively character and her love of flowers and laughter.

A Bao

The story is from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio – A Bao. The scholar Sun Zichu is honest and sincere. He falls deeply in love with the wealthy family's daughter, A Bao. Consumed by longing, his soul transforms into a parrot and flies to A Bao's side to be with her. Ultimately, his sincerity moves A Bao, and they marry. The stamp depicts a scene in a boudoir, with A Bao sitting quietly by the window and a parrot perched beside the window, echoing the fantastical plot of Sun Zichu's soul transforming into a parrot. The image is elegant and understated, reflecting the romantic core of unwavering devotion in the story.

The Painted Skin

The story is from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio – The Painted Skin. A malicious ghost paints a human skin to look like a beautiful woman and lures the scholar Wang Sheng. Wang Sheng, coveting her beauty, brings the ghost into his home and nearly loses his life. He is saved only with the help of a master. This story warns people to distinguish good from evil and not be deceived by appearances. The stamp depicts the terrifying scene of the ghost painting the human skin at a desk in the hall, with Wang Sheng secretly peering through a crack in the door from outside, recreating the classic suspenseful and terrifying passage from the original work.

Stealing Peaches

The story is from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio – Stealing Peaches and is a famous piece in the collection describing folk magic. At a New Year temple fair, a performer demonstrates immortal magic in public, throwing a rope into the sky and having his son climb up to the heavenly palace to steal immortal peaches. The stamp shows a lively market theater scene, with the performer and onlookers gathered, a child climbing up the long rope, and the crowd looking up. The scene is vivid and bustling, recreating the fantastical spectacle of ancient folk magic performances.

Souvenir Sheet: The Taoist of Mount Lao

The story is from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio – The Taoist of Mount Lao. Wang Sheng goes to Mount Lao to study under a master, wanting only to learn the art of walking through walls, but unwilling to practice diligently. The Taoist teaches him the skill and warns him not to harbor evil intentions. After returning home, Wang Sheng is eager to show off and attempts to use the skill to steal through a wall, but the magic fails and he injures himself by hitting the wall. The souvenir sheet depicts Wang Sheng in the Taoist temple on Mount Lao, with the Taoist standing beside him. The image is full of fantastical color, satirizing those who seek easy gains through opportunism.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses a traditional gongbi (meticulous brushwork) and rich-color painting style combined with classical line drawing, drawing on the aesthetic style of Ming and Qing ancient book illustrations. The colors are warm and elegant, and the figures are vivid and expressive. Each stamp focuses on an independent story, capturing key plot points through typical scenes, balancing the different qualities of romance, warning, and fantasy. The souvenir sheet separately features the well-known story of the Taoist of Mount Lao, complementing the four stamps. The entire work uses stamps to interpret the supernatural literature of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, combining classical painting beauty with literary narrative.