Scott No: -
Serial number: 2012-11
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: May 23, 2012
Denomination: 240 fen
Designer: Guo Xianlu, Meng Shenyu
Size of stamps: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5
Sheet composition: 16
Size of sheet: 150 * 200 mm
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

China Post issued a set of two commemorative stamps, **2012-11 The 70th Anniversary of the Publication of *Talks at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art***, on May 23, 2012. The stamp titles are *Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art* and *Prosperity and Development of Literature and Art* respectively. Each stamp bears a face value of 1.20 yuan, with a total face value of 2.40 yuan for the full set. Designed by Guo Xianlu, edited by Dong Yan as the responsible editor, the stamps were printed in photogravure by Beijing Stamp Printing House. Multiple anti-counterfeiting technologies were adopted, including security paper, security ink, special-shaped perforations and fluorescent inkjet codes.

The release date coincided with the anniversary of the publication of *Talks at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art*. The stamps serve to review the course of development of revolutionary literature and art and carry forward the spirit embodied in the Talks.

In May 1942, Comrade Mao Zedong presided over the Forum on Literature and Art in Yan’an and delivered an important speech. The Talks profoundly expounded the fundamental orientation that literature and art should serve the broad masses of the people, first and foremost the workers, peasants and soldiers. It systematically elaborated on a series of vital issues including the relationship between literature-art and life, literature-art and the people, as well as literature-art and politics, establishing programmatic guidelines for China’s revolutionary literary and artistic undertakings. Over the following seven decades, the spirit of the Talks has continuously influenced various artistic fields across China including literature, drama, fine arts and music. It has guided numerous literary and art workers to root themselves in reality, stay close to the people, and create abundant outstanding works reflecting people’s lives and the features of the times.

The first stamp takes the historical scene of the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art as its creative prototype, recreating the gathering of literary and art workers discussing inside a cave dwelling in those years. The Pagoda Hill of Yan’an is printed as the background, reproducing the historical environment for revolutionary literary activities during arduous times and revisiting the original aspiration source of revolutionary literature and art.

The second stamp depicts a flourishing scene of diverse literature and art in the new era. It integrates artistic symbols of traditional Chinese painting, song and dance, drama, photography and other art forms, together with realistic scenes of urban and rural life. It symbolizes the vigorous development of literary and artistic undertakings in the new period, and demonstrates that art practitioners consistently uphold the people-centered creative orientation.

The full stamp set features rich and profound colour tones. The first stamp adopts a documentary and nostalgic style highlighting a strong historical sense; the second boasts a full, rich composition brimming with vitality. The contrast between the historical and contemporary images reflects that literary and artistic undertakings carry forward traditions while advancing with the times. This set of stamps constitutes important philatelic material themed on red culture, Party history and literature and art.