Scott No: -
Serial number: 2013-31
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: Nov 29, 2013
Denomination: 120 fen
Designer: Xu Kaiqiang, Rao Jian
Size of stamps: 40 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition: 12
Sheet size: 146 * 181 mm
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Liaoning Provincal Postage Stamp Printing Works

On November 29, 2013, China Post officially issued the commemorative stamp for the "120th Anniversary of Wuhan University" with catalog number 2013-31. The set consists of one stamp with a face value of 1.20 yuan. The date of issue coincided with the 120th anniversary of the founding of Wuhan University, and the first-day issuance ceremony was held at the university on the same day, giving the stamp special significance as a commemorative item for the university's anniversary.

Wuhan University traces its origins to the Ziqiang Academy (Self-Improvement Academy), founded in 1893 by Zhang Zhidong, the Governor-General of Huguang, who petitioned the Qing government to establish it. After a series of transformations, it was renamed National Wuhan University in 1928 and became one of the first national universities in modern China. By 1946, it had developed into a comprehensive institution with six colleges: Arts, Law, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, and Medicine. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was renamed Wuhan University. In 2000, it merged with Wuhan University of Hydraulic and Electrical Engineering, Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping, and Hubei Medical University to form the current Wuhan University. This stamp is the eighth university-themed commemorative stamp issued in China, following those for Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, the University of Science and Technology of China, Tongji University, Lanzhou University, and Nanjing University. It holds a significant place in the series of Chinese university commemorative stamps.

The stamp set consists of one stamp with a face value of 1.20 yuan. It was jointly designed by Xu Kaiqiang, Dean of the School of Art and Design at Hubei University of Technology, and Rao Jian, with photography by Sun Xihong and Zhang Ran. Materials were provided by the Wuhan University Anniversary Office, and the stamp was printed by Shenyang Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory in Liaoning Province using offset printing.

The main image of the stamp features the iconic Old Library of Wuhan University, a representative example of the university's palace-style architecture that blends Chinese and Western elements. The blue glazed tiles and soaring eaves are particularly striking, conveying the historical depth and grandeur of this century-old institution.

The background composition is dominated by lush greenery and cherry blossoms, with the cherry blossom element occupying the upper left corner. This highlights Wuhan University's reputation as "China's most beautiful university" and subtly references the spectacular cherry blossom scenery at Luojia Hill each spring. The design achieves a harmonious integration of natural landscape and cultural heritage, with blue-green tones symbolizing academic vitality and the deep ochre hues reflecting the weight of history. The overall effect embodies Wuhan University's spirit of "harmony in diversity."

The upper left corner of the stamp bears the text "120th Anniversary of the Founding of Wuhan University 1893–2013," with the lower left corner featuring "China Post CHINA." The face value is placed in the lower right corner, and the university emblem is prominently displayed at the center of the composition. Designer Xu Kaiqiang revealed that he had previously developed over a dozen design concepts before settling on using an actual photograph rather than a hand-drawn illustration. "The Old Library and cherry blossoms themselves possess a profound historical charm," he explained, "and an authentic photographic representation is better able to highlight their unique appeal."