Scott No: -
Serial number: 2012-16
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: July 8, 2012
Denomination: 420 fen
Designer: Li Xi, Li Qun
Size of stamps: 38 * 50 mm
Perforation: 13 * 13.5
Sheet composition: 12
Size of sheet: 250 * 180 mm
Printing process: Offset + Engraving
Printing House: Henan Provincal Postage Stamp Printing Works

On July 8, 2012, the special stamp set "National Museum of China" (catalog number 2012-16) was officially issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Museum of China, to showcase China's splendid bronze civilization, and to promote the country's outstanding traditional culture. The set consists of two stamps, with face values of 1.20 yuan and 3 yuan, for a total face value of 4.20 yuan. The stamps were designed by Li Xin and Li Qun, with engraving by Zheng Kexin and Ma Rong. The stamp-within-a-stamp designs were engraved by Kong Shaohui and Tang Linkun. They were printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory. The stamps measure 38 mm × 50 mm, and were produced using the combined offset and engraving (intaglio) printing process, incorporating anti-counterfeiting paper, shaped perforations, and fluorescent spray codes. Each sheet contains 12 stamps, with the two designs printed continuously in a unique layout. This is a distinctive special stamp set focused on cultural relics and heritage.

The stamp set uses the innovative "stamp-within-a-stamp" format, featuring two top-tier Shang Dynasty bronze treasures from the museum's collection as the central elements. The bottom of each stamp depicts the exterior of the National Museum of China building, integrating the museum's collection, classic older stamps, and the museum's architecture into a unified design, reflecting the museum's core role in preserving Chinese cultural heritage and showcasing national treasures.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

1. Bronze Vessel – Zun (Wine Vessel)

Image: The central feature is a stamp-within-a-stamp depicting the Four-Ram Square Zun, with the main building of the National Museum of China printed below.

History: The Four-Ram Square Zun was cast in the late Shang Dynasty and unearthed in Ningxiang, Hunan. It is a classic example of Shang Dynasty bronze ritual vessels.

Significance: It is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese bronze craftsmanship, employing complex piece-mold casting techniques and displaying exquisite, intricate forms. It is now housed in the National Museum of China.

2. Bronze Vessel – Ding (Tripod Cauldron)

Image: The central feature is a stamp-within-a-stamp depicting the Houmuwu Ding (formerly known as Simuwu Ding), with the main building of the National Museum of China printed below.

History: The Houmuwu Ding is a bronze ritual vessel from the reign of King Wu Ding of the Shang Dynasty, unearthed in 1939 at Yinxu in Anyang, Henan.

Significance: It is the heaviest ancient bronze vessel ever discovered in the world, a testament to the advanced metallurgical skills of the Shang Dynasty. It is a national treasure symbolizing Chinese civilization and is housed in the National Museum of China.

Artistic and Design Features:

Artistic Form: It is the first time a stamp-within-a-stamp format has been used to depict a museum theme, restoring the design of a 1963 ancient artifact stamp and creating a dialogue across time between old and new stamps.

Layout: The composition is divided into upper and lower sections: the national treasures above and the museum building below, symbolizing that these treasures are permanently preserved in the National Museum.

Color and Texture: The overall color palette is understated and elegant, with fine, clear engraved lines that highlight the simple, substantial historical texture of the bronze vessels.

This stamp set is the first in New China to use a combination of museum artifacts and a stamp-within-a-stamp format to represent a museum theme. Its subject focuses on top national treasures, and its production utilizes the mature technique of combined offset and intaglio printing, giving it profound cultural significance. It holds an important place in the thematic collections of cultural relics, bronzes, and museums, offering unique historical, documentary, and artistic value.