Serial number: 2009-18
Scott Number: -
Values in set: 3 + 1
Denomination: 360 fen
Denomination of S/S: 600 fen
Date of issue: August 27, 2009
Size of stamp: 50 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13 * 12.5
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I;
6 for Sheet II (2 sets)
Size of sheet:
240 * 150 mm for Sheet I;
180 * 120 mm for Sheet II
Size of S/S: 128 * 46 mm
Size of S/S Stamp: 150 * 80 mm
Perforation of S/S: 13
Designer of stamp: Guo Chenghui
Designer of S/S: Ren Guo'en
Printing process: photogravure
Designer of stamp: Guo Chenghui
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

On August 27, 2009, the special stamp "Huanglong" (catalog number 2009-18) was officially issued, with a set of three stamps and one souvenir sheet. The three stamps each have a face value of 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 3.60 yuan, while the souvenir sheet has a face value of 6 yuan. The stamps were designed by Wang Huming, with the souvenir sheet designed by Ren Guoen, photography by Li Jie, Jiang Yuebin, and Ren Guoen, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

Located in Songpan County, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan, the Huanglong Scenic Area was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 1992. It is a well-preserved plateau wetland, famous for its "Four Wonders": colorful ponds, snow-capped mountains, deep valleys, and forests. It is home to the world's largest travertine landscape and is often called the "Jade Pond of the Immortals." The stamps feature three representative landscapes: the entrance to Huanglong Valley, the travertine waterfall, and the Muni Valley lake. The souvenir sheet features the Five-Color Pond, the core attraction of Huanglong, presenting the unique travertine geological wonders and the plateau landscape. Through these stamps, the natural ecological value of the western Sichuan plateau is showcased, promoting the protection of natural heritage and enriching the series of stamps featuring China's World Natural Heritage sites.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

Welcome Pond

Image: A view of the Welcome Pond at the entrance of Huanglong Valley, with layers of travertine pools scattered among surrounding virgin forests, where the water changes color with the light.
History: The Welcome Pond consists of hundreds of tiered travertine pools, the first scenic feature visitors encounter when entering Huanglong, representing the beginning of the travertine landscape.

Flying Waterfall

Image: A multi-layered travertine waterfall, with water cascading down golden-yellow travertine terraces, covered in colorful travertine deposits.
History: The Flying Waterfall is an iconic travertine waterfall in Huanglong, where long-term water flow has shaped extensive travertine beds, directly demonstrating the unique karst formation process.

Muni Valley – Erdao Lake

Image: A view of Erdao Lake in Muni Valley, a plateau lake surrounded by dense coniferous forests, with distant mountain silhouettes in the background.
History: Erdao Lake is part of the Muni Valley section of the Huanglong Scenic Area, where alpine lakes and wetlands merge, representing the diverse plateau aquatic ecosystems of Huanglong.

Souvenir Sheet: Five-Color Pond

Image: A panoramic view of the Five-Color Pond at the top of Huanglong Valley, with extensive interconnected colorful ponds at varying heights, and the Min Mountains in the distance.
History: The Five-Color Pond is the highest and largest group of travertine ponds in Huanglong, the visual centerpiece of the stamp set, and the most iconic landscape feature of Huanglong.

Artistic and Design Features:

Format: Uniform horizontal wide composition, providing an expansive view that suits the open and grand character of the plateau landscape.
Technique: Based on realistic photography, the colors faithfully reproduce the true tones of the plateau's lakes, travertine, and forests, presenting a fresh and realistic style.
Narrative Structure: The landscape arrangement follows the visitor route, from the valley entrance, through the waterfall, to the high-altitude lake, with the souvenir sheet capturing the core attraction, providing a complete narrative progression.
Anti-Counterfeiting Feature: The stamps feature oval-shaped perforations, a distinctive and highly recognizable security feature.

This stamp set is an important issue featuring the landscapes of western Sichuan, a World Natural Heritage site, and plateau wetland geology, with the stamps and souvenir sheet issued together. Available in multiple formats including stamp set, large sheet, miniature sheet, and souvenir sheet, it is often collected together with other western plateau scenic stamps such as Jiuzhaigou, Sanjiangyuan, and Shangri-La.