Scott No: -
Serial number: 2013-1
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: January 5, 2013
Denomination: 120 fen
Designer: Wu Guanying
Size of stamps: 36 * 36 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition:
20 for Sheet I;
6 for Sheet II
Size of sheet:
170 * 210 mm for Sheet I;
128 * 180 mm for Sheet II
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

China Post issued a special stamp for the "Guisi Year" (Year of the Snake) on January 5, 2013, with catalog number 2013-1. The set consists of one stamp with a face value of 1.20 yuan. The stamp measures 36×36 mm, with a perforation gauge of 13 degrees.

The "Guisi Year" special stamp is the tenth in the third cycle of zodiac stamps.

Zodiac stamps are meant to convey joy, auspiciousness, and harmony, expressing people's good wishes for a prosperous new year. The Guisi stamp features a coiled snake design, with its tail curling upward and transforming into two lingzhi mushrooms, symbolizing good fortune and health.

The snake's body is colored red, as red snakes were considered highly auspicious in ancient times. Its head is adorned with peony motifs, symbolizing wealth and honor, while the body features four seasonal flowers—peach blossom, lotus, chrysanthemum, and plum blossom—representing the cycle of the seasons and enduring prosperity.

The most distinctive element in the design is the pearl held in the snake's mouth. Some speculate it comes from the motif of "two dragons playing with a pearl," suggesting that since the snake is a "little dragon," it too can play with the pearl. Others interpret it as a snake holding a precious pearl, which is considered a good omen, signifying virtue, good deeds, and gratitude.

The inclusion of the pearl was inspired by a story from the Jin Dynasty collection In Search of the Supernatural (Soushen Ji), in which a snake holds a luminous pearl to repay a kindness.