Scott No: -
Serial number: 2013-8
Values in set: 3 + 1
Date of issue: April 13, 2013
Denomination: 360 fen
Designer: Wang Huming
Size of stamps: 44 * 33 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition: 10
Sheet size: 160 * 158 mm
Denomination of S/S: 600 fen
Size of S/S: 176 * 68 mm
Size of S/S Stamp: 158 * 37 mm
Perforation of S/S: 13.5
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Henan Postage Stamp Printing Works

On April 13, 2013, China Post officially issued the 2013-8 "Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk" special stamp set, consisting of three stamps and one souvenir sheet. This set is an important addition to China's "Ancient Chinese Famous Paintings" stamp series.

The original painting "Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk" is a gongbi (meticulous brushwork) figure painting by the Tang Dynasty artist Zhang Xuan. It was formerly in the collection of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) but was looted and taken overseas in 1860. It is now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, USA. After 150 years, this masterpiece of ancient Chinese figure painting was briefly exhibited in China at the Shanghai Museum's "Treasures of Ancient Chinese Paintings from American Collections" exhibition, drawing widespread attention. The painting, executed in ink and color on silk, vividly depicts three scenes of Tang Dynasty noblewomen performing tasks related to silk production: pounding, straightening, and ironing. The twelve figures are portrayed with vivid expressions, and the robust, full-figured forms accurately reflect the typical aesthetic of Tang Dynasty court ladies at the height of the Tang era.

This stamp set follows in the tradition of earlier issues such as "The Night Revels of Han Xizai" and "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains," making it another special stamp set featuring a renowned ancient painting. The core purpose of this issue is to use modern printing techniques to bring this treasured ancient painting, which had been lost overseas, back into the view of the Chinese people in the form of a "national calling card," allowing the public to appreciate the artistic spirit of this thousand-year-old painting within the small space of a stamp.

The entire stamp set was designed by Wang Huming, a designer known for his work on ancient painting themes. He has previously designed classic stamp sets such as "Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy" and "The Night Revels of Han Xizai," and has won numerous national awards for best stamp design.

The printing process employed a complex technique combining "high-line-screen" and "frequency-modulated screening" with spot and multi-color printing. Even though the stamp image is nearly ten times smaller than the original painting, the clothing details, expressions, and movements of the figures are rendered with remarkable clarity, preserving the antique charm and textural qualities of the original brushwork.

The total face value of the set is 9.6 yuan. The souvenir sheet features a deep maroon background with traditional gold decorative patterns. The elongated rectangular format perfectly complements the horizontal composition of the handscroll painting. The border design, with its antique style and refined taste, masterfully captures the essence of the ancient painting within the compact stamp format.

The stamp set incorporates multiple anti-counterfeiting technologies, including anti-counterfeiting paper, anti-counterfeiting ink, shaped perforations, and fluorescent spray codes. It was printed by Henan Post and Telecommunications Printing Factory.