Scott No: -
Serial number: 2006-30
Values in set: 4 + 1
Date of issue: December 28, 2006
Denomination: 480 fen + 600 fen
Designer: Li Zhihong
Size of stamps: 50 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition: 16
Size of S/S: 127 * 76 mm
Stamp of S/S: 90 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5 * 13
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

This stamp set was issued on December 28, 2006. It consists of four stamps with a total face value of 4.80 yuan, along with a souvenir sheet with a face value of 6 yuan, designed by Li Zhihong, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

This special stamp set was issued to mark the sixth major speed increase of China's railway network. It highlights the multi-faceted development of a harmonious railway system, showcasing significant achievements in capacity expansion, equipment modernization, and contributions to national economic growth and opening-up. The stamps document China's railways' historic leap into the high-speed era.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Speed Increase and Capacity Expansion

The stamp features a modern high-power passenger locomotive racing forward, with flowing track lines and a light blue city skyline in the background. It reflects the enhanced passenger transport capacity and efficiency brought by railway speed upgrades, highlighting the new face of modernized railway passenger services.

Transport of Key Materials

A heavy-duty freight locomotive in blue and white pulls a long train carrying essential energy and industrial supplies. This stamp highlights the railway's crucial role in transporting bulk goods, ensuring the stability of key industries and the national economy.

Agricultural Support Transport

A large blue open freight wagon is featured at the center, with a warm orange background evoking a harvest atmosphere. The railway facilitates the transport of agricultural supplies to rural areas and the outward shipment of grain, bridging urban and rural logistics and supporting rural economic development.

Port Transport

The stamp depicts a freight train at a border crossing, carrying timber and other cross-border goods, with a gateway building in the background. It illustrates the railway's role as a channel for international trade and cross-border economic exchanges.

Souvenir Sheet – Sixth Major Railway Speed Increase

The main image features a white high-speed train speeding forward, with city buildings on the horizon and a purple-pink twilight background. Under fluorescent light, a national railway network map is revealed, symbolizing the official start of China's high-speed railway era and the blueprint of a modern, interconnected national rail network.

Artistic and Design Features

The horizontal format is clean and robust, with four distinct transport themes highlighted by different colors. The locomotive designs are realistic, and the light effects create a sense of speed. The souvenir sheet is grand and dynamic, with photogravure printing providing fine and clear textures. The stamps incorporate multiple anti-counterfeiting features, including security paper, security ink, and fluorescent spray codes, creating a modern and industrial aesthetic.

This stamp set is a special issue on a major national transportation project, including a souvenir sheet, suitable for thematic collections on China's railway and rail transit development.