Serial number: 2009-20
Scott Number: -
Values in set: 6
Denomination: 860 fen
Date of issue: August 31, 2012
Size of stamp: 40 * 35 mm
Perforation: 13 * 13.5
Sheet composition: 6 (1 set)
Size of sheet: 135 * 220 mm
Printing process: Offset
Designer of stamp: Gao Yun
Printer: Henan Postage Stamp Printing House

On August 31, 2012, the special stamp set "Song Ci" (catalog number 2012-23) was officially issued. Following the "Three Hundred Tang Poems" stamp set, this is another multimedia stamp set dedicated to classical literature, aiming to showcase the literary achievements of Song Ci and to preserve the outstanding classical poetic culture of China. The set consists of six stamps, with face values of 0.80 yuan, 1.20 yuan, 1.20 yuan, 1.20 yuan, 1.20 yuan, and 3.00 yuan, for a total face value of 8.60 yuan. The stamps were designed by Gao Yun, with the sheet border design by Xia Jingqiu. They were printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory using offset printing. Each stamp measures 40 mm × 35 mm, and the set is arranged on a single sheet. The stamps are printed on matte stamp paper and incorporate anti-counterfeiting paper, anti-counterfeiting ink, shaped perforations, and fluorescent spray codes. The sheet border contains a micro-printed version of the complete "Three Hundred Song Ci" and supports audio playback with a dedicated digital pen, making this a stamp set that combines appreciation with interactive functionality.

The stamp set features six representative works by six major Song Dynasty poets, covering both the refined and subtle "Wanyue" (Graceful and Restrained) school and the bold and uninhibited "Haofang" (Heroic and Unrestrained) school. The themes encompass nostalgia for the past, lovesickness, self-reflection through nature, and patriotic ambition, offering a multifaceted view of Song Ci's artistic diversity. The selected poems are well-known and rich in imagery. Following the "one poem, one painting" approach, the stamps illustrate the integration of poetry and painting in Eastern aesthetics, continuing the cultural lineage of the classical poetry stamp series.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

1. Yan Shu – "Silk-Washing Stream" (Huanxisha)

Image: Yan Shu stands alone before an ancient tree in a courtyard, reflecting on the passage of time.

History: Yan Shu was a master of the Wanyue school in the early Northern Song. This poem expresses a gentle melancholy over the passing of spring and the transience of life, with the famous lines: "Flowers fall, I cannot make them stay; swallows return, as if we've met before."

Significance: An early classic of the Northern Song Wanyue school.

2. Su Shi – "Charm of a Maiden Singer – Reminiscing on the Past at Red Cliff" (Niannujiao – Chibi Huaigu)

Image: Su Shi drifts on a boat, gazing at the distant Red Cliff, reflecting on the past.

History: Composed during Su Shi's exile in Huangzhou, this poem borrows from history to express his reflections on the vicissitudes of life and personal circumstances.

Significance: A masterpiece of the Haofang school and a defining work of this style in Song Ci.

3. Qin Guan – "Immortal at the Magpie Bridge" (Quexian)

Image: The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet on a bridge of magpies across the Milky Way.

History: Based on the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, the poem contains the famous line: "If love lasts long, why need we be together day and night?"

Significance: The most famous Song Ci associated with the Qixi Festival and a representative of the graceful style of the Wanyue school.

4. Li Qingzhao – "A Cut of Plum Blossom" (Yijianmei)

Image: Li Qingzhao sits alone by a window, filled with lovesickness.

History: Written after her separation from her husband, this poem expresses the sorrow of longing between two people.

Significance: A representative work of this outstanding female poet of the Song Dynasty and a classic example of the graceful, melancholic style of the Wanyue school.

5. Lu You – "Song of Divination – Ode to the Plum Blossom" (Busuanzi – Yongmei)

Image: Lu You admires a plum blossom in the snow at a broken bridge in the wilderness.

History: The poet uses the plum blossom as a metaphor for himself, expressing his determination to maintain his integrity and not succumb to worldly pressures.

Significance: A classic of the "objects as metaphors" genre in Song Ci.

6. Xin Qiji – "Breaking the Formation – A Heroic Song for Chen Tongfu" (Pozhenzi – Wei Chen Tongfu Fu Zhuangci Yi Ji Zhi)

Image: Xin Qiji examines his sword by lamplight, dreaming of the battlefield.

History: The poet expresses his longing to recover lost territories and his frustration at being unable to fulfill his ambitions.

Significance: A representative work of patriotic Haofang school poetry from the Southern Song.

Artistic and Design Features:

Layout: The stamps consistently use a left-text, right-image layout. The left side mimics the layout of traditional thread-bound books, printing the original poem, while the right side uses meticulous gongbi-style painting to illustrate the poetic scene.

Painting Style: The elegant gongbi figure paintings use soft, classical tones, capturing the emotional essence of each poem.

Multimedia Innovation: The sheet border contains over 20,000 micro-printed characters of the complete "Three Hundred Song Ci," and the stamps can be read aloud using a dedicated digital pen, offering a "one sheet, one book" experience.

Series Continuity: The concept follows the "Three Hundred Tang Poems" stamp set, forming a classical poetry series covering both Tang and Song literature.

This stamp set won the Excellence Award at the 33rd National Best Stamp Selection. It is a classic of Chinese classical literature-themed stamps. The unique audio-enabled multimedia technology and micro-printed text are distinctive features, making it a perfect companion to the "Three Hundred Tang Poems" set for poetry-themed collections. The selection includes representative works from both the Wanyue and Haofang schools, making it ideal for classical literature and poetry-themed philately, with profound cultural depth and significant aesthetic appeal.