Scott No: -
Serial number: 2013-29
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: October 25, 2013
Denomination: 240 fen
Designer: Li Zhihong
Size of stamps: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5
Sheet composition: 16 (8 sets)
Sheet size: 174 * 195 mm
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

On October 25, 2013, China Post officially issued the special stamp set "Hybrid Rice" with catalog number 2013-29. The date of issue coincided with the 40th anniversary of the successful completion of the "three-line" hybrid rice system in China. In October 1973, at a rice research conference in Suzhou, Yuan Longping, the "Father of Hybrid Rice," officially announced the successful development of the three-line system for indica hybrid rice in China, marking the beginning of large-scale adoption of hybrid rice.

The special stamp set "Hybrid Rice" consists of two stamps, each with a face value of 1.20 yuan. The stamps were designed by Li Zhihong, Chief Designer of the Stamp Printing Bureau of the State Post Bureau, and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the offset printing process. Each stamp measures 30×40 mm, with a perforation gauge of 13.5 degrees. The stamps are issued in a continuous format, with 16 stamps per sheet (8 sets), and a sheet size of 174×195 mm. On the sheet border, the upper left corner features a rice grain icon, the seal script character for "rice" (Dao), and the Chinese and English title "Hybrid Rice"; the lower left corner bears the slogan "Cherish Food, Save Food."

Both stamps use green as the primary color, with light water-wave patterns in the background, subtly referencing the characteristics of rice cultivation. The overall design conveys the vitality and the concepts of green, safe production associated with hybrid rice.

First stamp, "Seed Production": The main image is a scientific diagram illustrating the principle of hybrid rice seed production. It clearly shows the key structures of the male parent (stamen) and female parent (ovary) of hybrid rice, along with the core technology for producing seeds and large-scale cultivation. The background depicts researchers, with Yuan Longping as the prototype, working in the fields, vividly recreating the arduous process of scientific experimentation. A beautiful rice flower adds a delicate touch and highlights the theme of "Seed Production."

Second stamp, "Bountiful Harvest": The main image features a heavy, drooping rice panicle and a bowl of crystal-clear white rice. The bowl bears the traditional Chinese character "Feng" (abundance), symbolizing a plentiful harvest. The background shows a world map, illustrating the significant contribution of hybrid rice to solving global food problems. The stamp conveys the hopeful expectation of a bountiful harvest and highlights China's role in benefiting all of humanity through its scientific and technological achievements.

This stamp set is the first special stamp issued by China Post with hybrid rice as its theme. It follows previous issues such as the "1958 Agricultural Bumper Harvest" stamp of 1959 and the "Modern Chinese Scientists (Group II)" stamp of 1990, once again focusing on rice and agricultural science.

By combining scientific illustration with images of abundance, the stamps translate the profound principles of breeding into accessible visual language, offering both educational value and artistic appeal. As a lasting tribute to the life's work of Yuan Longping, the "Father of Hybrid Rice," and the highest achievements of China's agricultural science and technology, this stamp set holds an irreplaceable and unique position among both science-themed and agriculture-themed stamps.