Scott No: 3309-10
Serial number:2003-19
Values in set: 2
Denomination: 1.60 yuan
Date of issue: 30th September 2003
Designer: Lu Jingren and Andor Andras
Size of stamps: 50*30 mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 16 for Sheet I, 8 for Sheet II
Printing process: offset
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

This is a set of two special stamps titled Book Art, issued on September 30, 2003, with a total face value of 1.60 yuan, jointly designed by Lü Jingren of China and Andor András of Hungary, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using offset printing. This is a joint stamp issue between China and Hungary.

Books are important carriers of civilization, preserving a nation's history, thought, and aesthetics. This stamp set was issued in conjunction with a book art exhibition jointly held by China and Hungary. It features representative ancient books from both countries, paired with iconic library buildings, showcasing the long-standing book cultures of China and Hungary. Using books as a link, it promotes cultural exchange and mutual learning between the two countries and presents the unique charm of Eastern and Western ancient bookbinding and illustration art.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Song Dynasty Printed Edition of the Rites of Zhou

The main subject is an inner page from a Song Dynasty printed edition of the Rites of Zhou. The page is antique, with text in traditional woodblock printing type and accompanied by ancient illustrations. The background features a line drawing of the Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo. The Tianyi Pavilion is the oldest surviving private library in China and a symbol of Chinese book-collecting culture. The Rites of Zhou is an important Confucian classic. Song Dynasty woodblock printing techniques were mature, and Song editions are known for their neat characters and excellent printing quality, making them treasures among ancient Chinese books and representing the glorious achievements of ancient Chinese book publishing and book-collecting culture.

Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle

The main subject is an open page from the medieval Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle. The manuscript features numerous exquisite illuminated illustrations and handwritten Latin text in splendid colors. The background shows the building of the National Széchényi Library of Hungary, the country's most important document collection institution. This illuminated chronicle is a precious medieval manuscript from Hungary. Combining text and images, it records early Hungarian history and is a classic representative of medieval European manuscript book art.

Artistic and Design Features

The stamp set uses a symmetrical compositional approach, with each stamp presenting an ancient book from China and Hungary, one Eastern and one Western, echoing each other. The offset printing delicately reproduces the aged texture of the ancient paper and the rich details of the woodblock text and hand-painted illustrations. The design features the open ancient books as the visual core, with faint line drawings of the library buildings in the background. The composition is clear and uncluttered, directly presenting the different book art styles of the East and West, embodying the theme of two civilizations preserving history and exchanging culture through their classic texts.