Serial number: 2009-23
Scott Number: -
Values in set: 6 + 1
Denomination: 720 fen + 600 fen
Date of issue: September 26, 2009
Size of stamp: 38 * 50 mm
Perforation: 13 * 13.5
Sheet composition: 12
Size of sheet: 248 * 180 mm
Size of S/S: 140 * 86 mm
Size of S/S stamp: 90 * 50 mm
Perforation of S/S: 13.5
Printing process: Photogravure
Designer of stamp: Yan Binwu, Li Qingfa
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

On September 26, 2009, the special stamp "Grand Canal" (catalog number 2009-23) was officially issued. The set consists of six stamps, each with a face value of 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 7.20 yuan, with a souvenir sheet (face value 6 yuan) issued concurrently. The stamps were designed by Yan Bingwu and Li Qingfa, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

The Grand Canal is the longest and most extensive ancient canal in the world, stretching from Tongzhou in Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in Zhejiang in the south. It connects five major river systems: the Haihe, Yellow, Huaihe, Yangtze, and Qiantang rivers, bearing witness to a thousand years of trade, the rise of towns, and cultural exchange between the north and south. Following the canal from north to south, the stamps feature six iconic historical buildings along the route, presenting the unique architectural heritage and grain transport culture of the canal. The souvenir sheet presents a panoramic view of the canal, contributing to the UNESCO World Heritage nomination campaign, and showcasing the Chinese civilization carried by this ancient waterway, while promoting the valuable historical and cultural significance of the Grand Canal.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

Lighthouse Pagoda

Image: The Lighthouse Pagoda in Tongzhou, Beijing, with the Tongyun Bridge. Located at the northern starting point of the Grand Canal, this pagoda was a landmark for canal navigation, serving as a beacon for grain transport ships entering the capital, bearing witness to the prosperity of the canal's starting point.

Tianhou Temple

Image: The Tianhou Temple at the Sancha River estuary in Tianjin, with a canal boat in the background. Built during the Yuan Dynasty, Tianhou Temple is an important Mazu temple in northern China, located at the confluence of the canal and the Haihe River, symbolizing the cultural exchange of the north-south grain transport hub.

Shanxi-Shaanxi Guildhall

Image: The Shanxi-Shaanxi Guildhall in Liaocheng, Shandong, with the Shandong canal scenery in the background. Built by merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the guildhall is a historical witness to the prosperity of canal trade, reflecting the flourishing of cross-provincial commerce and guild culture along the canal.

Qingjiang Sluice

Image: The Qingjiang Sluice in Huai'an, Jiangsu, with the ruins of the Governor's Office of Grain Transport in the distance. Huai'an was the administrative center for grain transport during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Qingjiang Sluice regulated the canal's water level, ensuring the passage of grain transport ships, and represents the core of the canal's water management system.

Wenfeng Pagoda

Image: The Wenfeng Pagoda in Yangzhou. Located near the Yangzhou section of the canal, this pagoda was a place where merchants often climbed to pray before long voyages. It is an important landmark of the Jiangnan canal, bearing witness to Yangzhou's prosperity along the canal.

Gongchen Bridge

Image: The Gongchen Bridge in Hangzhou, with the Fuyi Granary in the background. The Gongchen Bridge is a landmark stone arch bridge at the southern terminus of the Grand Canal, serving as the gateway for the canal entering Hangzhou, representing the canal landscape of the Jiangnan water towns.

Souvenir Sheet: A Thousand Miles of Unobstructed Waters

Image: The main subject is the canal scenery of Gaoyou, Jiangsu, featuring the Zhenguo Temple Pagoda and the Qinyou Pavilion, with a schematic map of the canal at the bottom. The scene presents the vast misty waters and the panorama of boats traveling on the canal, echoing the name "A Thousand Miles of Unobstructed Waters," summarizing the grand layout of the canal connecting north and south.

Artistic and Design Features:

The set features a uniform vertical format with ink-wash painting style, combining traditional Chinese landscape aesthetics with a subtle and elegant color palette. The six stamps are arranged in strict geographic order from north to south, forming a continuous cultural scroll of the canal. The realistic architectural scenes blend with the canal's water scenery, recreating the appearance of ancient grain transport. The souvenir sheet uses a horizontal panoramic composition with auspicious cloud patterns on the border, complementing the theme of the set. The stamps feature oval-shaped perforations, enhancing recognizability, while balancing architectural details with natural water scenes, integrating cultural heritage with natural landscapes.

This stamp set is a landmark issue on the Grand Canal theme, issued at a critical stage in its UNESCO World Heritage nomination, carrying significant historical importance. The stamps and souvenir sheet are collected together, often grouped with other linear cultural heritage stamps such as the Great Wall and the Silk Road, making it a core item for thematic collections on ancient water engineering and linear World Heritage sites.