Scott No: 3193
Serial number: 2002-8
Values in set: 4
Denomination: 5.20 yuan
Date of issue: 26th April 2002
Designer: Xu Jianmin and yan Bingwu
Size of stamp: 50*30 mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 16
Printing process: photogravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

The stamp set is cataloged as 2002-8, titled Mount Qianshan. It was issued on April 26, 2002. The set consists of four stamps in a photogravure edition printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works. The designers are Xu Jianmin and Yan Bingwu. The total face value is 5.2 yuan. Each stamp measures 50×30 mm, with a perforation gauge of 12 degrees. Each sheet contains 16 stamps, printed in a continuous horizontal strip of four.

Mount Qianshan is located in Anshan, Liaoning. In ancient times, it was known as Qianhua Mountain or Jicui Mountain. It is known as the "Pearl of the Northeast." It is a branch of the Changbai Mountains and combines spectacular peaks, unusual rocks, ancient pines, and temples. It is also a rare famous mountain in China where both Buddhism and Taoism coexist. Temples and Taoist monasteries have been built here since the Tang Dynasty. Over a thousand years of construction, a large number of ancient buildings and cultural relics have been left behind. This stamp set features four representative landscapes of Mount Qianshan, showcasing the majestic beauty of the mountains of eastern Liaoning and their religious and cultural heritage.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Wuliang Temple

Wuliang Temple is the largest Taoist temple on Mount Qianshan and is known as the first Taoist temple in Northeast China. It was first built during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. In the stamp, the temple complex follows the mountain's contours, scattered among rocks and dense forests. The halls are nestled among green pines and cypresses, with clouds and mist swirling in the mountains. Wuliang Temple is built against the mountain, cleverly using the natural rock terrain, with the architecture blending into the rocks. It is a model of northern mountain Taoist architecture and carries the history of Taoist transmission in Northeast China.

Maitreya Peak

Maitreya Peak is an iconic rock formation on Mount Qianshan. The natural outline of the entire peak resembles a seated Maitreya Buddha. The mountain body is full and rounded, with a naturally formed appearance, making it a rare natural Buddha landscape. The stamp features the grand rock formation as the main subject, with layered mountains spreading out and a sea of clouds surrounding the mountainside. This scene requires no artificial carving; nature itself has created the Buddha's form. For centuries, it has added a Zen atmosphere to Mount Qianshan and is the most famous natural rock landscape on the mountain.

Longquan Temple

Longquan Temple is a historic Buddhist temple on Mount Qianshan. It was first built during the Tang Dynasty and is the foremost of the five great Zen temples on the mountain. The temple is named for the mountain spring that flows year-round within it, said to resemble a dragon. In the stamp, the ancient temple is hidden in a valley of dense forest. The halls are antique, surrounded by lush pines and cypresses, with a clear spring winding through the mountains. The ancient temple has been renovated several times and preserves numerous inscriptions and historical relics, bearing witness to the spread of Buddhist culture in eastern Liaoning. The Buddhist halls blend with the natural mountain forest, creating a serene and quiet scene.

Immortal Terrace

Immortal Terrace is the main peak of Mount Qianshan, with an elevation of 708 meters. It is the highest point on the mountain. The huge rock at the summit is steep, and legend says it was a place where immortals played chess. The stamp shows the huge rock standing in the air, with a sea of clouds surging among the mountains and layered peaks in the distance, offering a vast view. Immortal Terrace is not only an excellent spot for watching the sunrise and sea of clouds but also preserves ancient stone inscriptions. It is a representative of Mount Qianshan's natural scenery. From here, visitors can overlook the continuous peaks of the entire mountain.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamps use the photogravure process, with rich and delicate layers, accurately expressing the texture of the rocks, the depth of the forests, and the transparency of the clouds and mist. The stamps use a horizontal continuous design, with the four images connecting end to end, presenting the scenery of Mount Qianshan in a continuous sequence, like a landscape scroll slowly unfolding. The design uses a modern Chinese blue-green landscape painting style. The blue-green tones are steady and elegant, the rocks are substantial, and the negative space of the clouds and mist is natural. The architecture is integrated into the landscape. The stamp set combines natural peaks with ancient temples and Taoist monasteries, showcasing both the majestic character of the mountains of Northeast China and the unique humanistic quality of Mount Qianshan, where Buddhism and Taoism coexist.