Scott No: -
Serial number: 2020-8
Values in set: 6
Date of issue: May 15, 2020
Denomination: 720 fen
Designer: Yuan Yishan
Size of stamps:
44 * 30 mm for Value 1, 4, 6;
30 * 44 mm for Value 2, 3, 5
Perforation:
13 for Value 1, 4, 6;
13.5 mm for Value 2, 3, 5
Sheet composition: 12
(Value 1,2 in Sheet I;
Value 3, 4 in Sheet II;
Value 5, 6 in Sheet III;)
Sheet Size: 120 * 228 mm
Printing process: Offset and Engraving
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

China Post plans to issue a set of 6 special stamps themed "Asian Civilizations (I)" on May 15, 2020. The designs of the stamps are titled respectively: Ziggurat of Ur, Flood Tablet, Harappan Seal, Mohenjo-daro Ruins, Liangzhu Jade Cong, and Shimao Ruins. The total face value of the set is 7.20 yuan.

Asia is one of the earliest human settlements and a crucial cradle of human civilization. Vast in territory and rich in resources, with beautiful mountains and rivers, Asia covers one-third of the world's land area and is home to two-thirds of the global population, encompassing 47 countries and over 1,000 ethnic groups scattered like stars. As early as thousands of years BCE, people living in river basins such as the Tigris-Euphrates, Indus-Ganges, and Yellow River-Yangtze River began to cultivate land, develop irrigation, cast tools and vessels, and build their homes. Through the baptism of time, generations of Asian ancestors have inscribed their life and production practices into a long history and accumulated a profound civilization.

The splendid Asian civilizations have written a brilliant chapter in the history of world civilization, making human civilization more diverse and colorful because of Asia. The 6 stamps respectively feature representative relics and cultural artifacts of ancient civilizations from the Tigris-Euphrates, Indus-Ganges, and Yellow River-Yangtze River basins.

Ziggurat of Ur: Listed as a World Heritage Site in 2016 as part of "Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities". The Ahwar consists of seven sites, including the ruins of the city of Ur. Founded by the Sumerians over 6,000 years ago, the ancient city of Ur was one of the world's earliest urban settlements.

Flood Tablet: One of the treasures of the British Museum, it records the flood story from the Epic of Gilgamesh, which is almost identical to the story of Noah's Ark. Discovered by British archaeologists in 1849 in Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire, the tablet is inscribed with cuneiform—one of the earliest writing systems in human history.

Harappan Seal: A large number of animal-themed seals have been unearthed in the Indus Valley. Made from materials such as steatite, clay, ivory, and copper, with steatite being the most common, these seals are renowned for their distinctive designs. A famous example, found near Harappa in the Indus Valley, is approximately square, similar in size to a modern stamp, and carved with a unicorn-like creature based on the body of an ox.

Mohenjo-daro Ruins: Located in Pakistan, this site was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980. Built around 2600 BCE, it was a major city of the Indus Valley Civilization and is known as "the metropolis of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization".

Liangzhu Jade Cong: The Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins, located in Yuhang District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, were added to the World Heritage List in 2019. Dating from the late Neolithic Age (3300 BCE–2300 BCE), the ruins are an exemplar of early urban civilization and provide tangible evidence of China's 5,000-year-old civilization.

Shimao Ruins: Situated in Shenmu County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, the site was included in China's Tentative List of World Cultural Heritage in 2019. Dating back approximately 4,000 years, it belongs to the late Neolithic Age to the early Bronze Age and serves as a window for exploring the origin of Chinese civilization.

The stamps feature prominent main subjects, distinct layers, and an overall concise and elegant style:

The first stamp takes the Ziggurat of Ur as its main subject, with the background showing the ziggurat from different angles.

The second stamp centers on the Flood Tablet, with the background displaying partial cuneiform inscriptions from the tablet.

The third stamp features a Harappan seal from the front, while the background presents the intaglio pattern on the back of the seal.

The fourth stamp showcases the overall appearance of the Mohenjo-daro Ruins, with a natural transition between the main subject and the background through subtle color gradations, highlighting the main structures of the ruins.

The fifth stamp focuses on the Liangzhu Jade Cong, with the background displaying the exquisite partial patterns and shapes of the jade artifact.

The sixth stamp depicts the overall form of the Shimao Ruins, using color depth variations to create a natural transition between the main subject and the background, emphasizing the ruins' key structures.

Designed by Yuan Yishan, the set is printed by Beijing Stamp Factory using the combined offset and engraving printing process.