Scott Number: -
Serial number: 2010-23
Values in set: 4 + 1
Denomination: 480 fen + 600 fen
Date of issue: September 13, 2010
Size of stamp: 60 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13.5 * 13
Sheet composition: 15
Size of Sheet: 220 * 180 mm
Size of S/S: 165 * 66 mm
Size of S/S stamp: 90 * 40 mm
Designer: Ren Guoen, Shangying
Printing process: photogravure
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

On September 13, 2010, the special stamp "Shangri-La" (catalog number 2010-23) was officially issued. The set consists of four stamps, each with a face value of 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 4.80 yuan, with a souvenir sheet (face value 6 yuan) issued concurrently. The stamps were designed by Ren Guoen and Shang Ying, with photography by Li Donghong and Li Zhigang, among others, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

Shangri-La, meaning "the sun and moon in the heart" in Tibetan, is located in the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan. It gained worldwide fame through the novel Lost Horizon and has become a symbol of an earthly paradise. The stamps feature representative cultural heritage sites and plateau lake scenery of Diqing, encompassing four types of landscapes: Tibetan Buddhist temples, plateau wetlands, pristine lakes, and ancient cities. The souvenir sheet presents the snow-capped holy mountain, Meili Snow Mountain. The set blends the magnificent natural ecology of northwestern Yunnan with its profound Tibetan cultural history, presenting the unique beauty of the plateau where nature and humanity coexist in harmony, and establishing a cultural emblem for Shangri-La.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

Temple Amidst Mist

Image: The main subject is the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, surrounded by clouds and mist.
History: Known as the "Little Potala Palace," Ganden Sumtseling Monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist Gelug monastery in Yunnan and an important religious site for Tibetans in northwestern Yunnan.
Significance: Represents the core religious and cultural heritage of Shangri-La.

Clear Waters and Blue Skies

Image: Napahai Lake, with its expansive waters, migratory birds flying above, and surrounding meadows.
History: Napahai is a seasonal plateau wetland and a national nature reserve, home to numerous rare waterfowl, representing the unique plateau wetland ecosystem of northwestern Yunnan.
Significance: Reflects the natural beauty of the grassland and lake landscapes of Shangri-La.

Lush Forests by the Lake

Image: The scenery of Shudu Lake in the Pudacuo National Park, with clear waters and colorful primeval forests along the shore.
History: Pudacuo is China's first national park, featuring well-preserved subalpine forests and lake ecosystems.
Significance: Presents the pristine and serene plateau forest and lake scenery.

Snow-Capped Ancient City

Image: The ancient city of Dukezong, featuring a giant prayer wheel, traditional Tibetan houses, and snow-capped mountains in the background.
History: Dukezong, also known as the Moonlight Ancient City, was an important town on the ancient Yunnan-Tibet Tea Horse Road. It is home to the world's largest prayer wheel and carries the legacy of a thousand years of tea-horse trade.
Significance: An important historical Tibetan town on the Tea Horse Road.

Souvenir Sheet: Golden Mountain at Sunrise

Image: The main subject is Kawagebo Peak of Meili Snow Mountain, covered in golden light at sunrise, with grasslands, yaks, and Tibetan tents in the foreground.
History: Meili Snow Mountain is a sacred mountain in Tibetan regions, and Kawagebo Peak is an iconic snow peak on the Yunnan-Tibet border.
Significance: The spiritual core of the stamp set, symbolizing the sacred and majestic snow-capped landmarks of Shangri-La.

Artistic and Design Features:

Format: Uniform horizontal rectangular stamp format, with photographs rendered as paintings, maintaining the texture of the plateau's light and shadows.
Content Layout: The four stamps are divided equally between cultural heritage sites and natural scenery, with the two aspects complementing each other.
Souvenir Sheet Highlight: The wide horizontal composition features a visually striking golden snow peak, with border elements of grasslands enhancing the plateau atmosphere.
Regional Character: The set comprehensively covers the core cultural and tourism landmarks of Diqing Prefecture, integrating natural landscapes with Tibetan history and culture.

This stamp set is a special issue focused on Yunnan regional scenery and the cultural landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau. It encompasses themes of the Tea Horse Road, Tibetan Buddhism, and plateau ecology, making it visually appealing. Available in large sheet, stamp set, and souvenir sheet formats, it is often collected together with other Yunnan scenery stamps such as those of Xishuangbanna, Lijiang, and the Three Parallel Rivers, making it an important modern issue for collections focused on western China's landscapes.