Scott No: 3308
Serial number: 2003-22
Values in set: 1 (Souvenir Sheet)
Denomination: 8.00 yuan
Date of issue: 26th September 2003
Designer: Chen Nan
Size of stamps: 30*50 mm
Size of S/S: 126*80 mm
Printing process: photogravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

This is a commemorative souvenir sheet titled Commemoration of the Start of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, issued on December 27, 2003, with a face value of 8 yuan, designed by Chen Nan and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

China's water resources are unevenly distributed spatially. The south is rich in water resources, while the north suffers from severe water shortages, which have seriously constrained the economic and social development of the northern regions. The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is a major strategic project in China, planned with three diversion routes: east, middle, and west. It transfers water from the Yangtze River basin across river basins to the water-scarce regions of North China and the Northwest. In 2003, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project officially began construction. This souvenir sheet takes this opportunity to document this century-defining water conservancy project that benefits the nation and the people, showcasing the major strategic layout of the state's coordinated allocation of water resources and improvement of the water shortage situation in the north.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

Commemoration of the Start of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project

The center of the design features the logo of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, composed of three blue water flows symbolizing the eastern, middle, and western diversion routes. The background includes a simplified map of China, clearly outlining the routes. Cities, rivers, and fields are dotted across the map, symbolizing water traveling thousands of miles to nourish the northern land. The overall design expresses the grand vision of connecting the water systems of the south and north, allocating water resources, and benefiting the people along the route, witnessing the historic moment of the project's commencement.

Artistic and Design Features

The souvenir sheet uses a modern graphic design style. The composition is simple and grand, with a blue main tone echoing the theme of water. The photogravure printing provides clean and transparent colors, with crisp lines and clear layers for the map and logo. The design omits complex realistic scenery, using symbolic design language to interpret this massive cross-basin water diversion project, concisely expressing the contemporary significance of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in optimizing water resource allocation and nourishing the northern land.