---

China Post Issues – 2022

Isues 1 — 6

This column starts the look at 2022 releases of the People's Republic of China. There are 27 regular issues with sequence numbers plus two special issues in 2022. This issue will look at the first six releases.

Issue 2022-1: On January 5, 2022, China Post issued a set of 2 Year of Renyin special stamps, entitled National Prosperity and Auspicious Tigers. Each stamp has a face value of 1.20 yuan. The year 2022 is the Year of Tiger in the Chinese zodiac calendar. Known as the "king of beasts", the tiger is a symbol of valor and strength. Many Chinese people regard the tiger as an auspicious beast that helps people to keep right, drives away evil spirits and blesses peace. From the custom of drawing tigers on doors to tiger toys, the influence of the tiger has penetrated into people's lives and customs.

The set of Year of Renyin special stamps is the seventh in the fourth round of the Chinese zodiac stamps. The stamps carry on the philosophy of the fourth round and illustrate the ideas of country and family. The first stamp depicts a majestic tiger, standing on the mountain with lofty goals in mind. The second stamp depicts a heartwarming scene of a mild-faced tiger mother with two cubs, implying a prosperous and happy family.

Both stamps are 36 x 36 mm and were issued on 2022 January 5. Perforation is 13. Printing process: Offset and Engraving at Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Issue 2022-2: On January 1, China Post issued 1 commemorative stamp entitled RCEP Taking Effect with the denomination of 1.20 yuan. The ASEAN Secretariat, the official depository for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) announced on November 2, 2021 Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, had formally submitted their RCEP ratification. RCEP is a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial mega-regional free trade agreement. RCEP has become the world's largest free trade zone accounting for 30% of the world total with regard to total population, economic size and trade volume.

The set of stamp uses "RCEP", the abbreviation of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, as the main element, with these four letters being composed of different blocks of color. The background of the picture consists of simple and upward dynamic lines and is supplemented by such elements as building clusters and the Earth, symbolizing economic growth and urban prosperity.The stamp is designed by Yu Qiuyan and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing House Company Limited in photogravure technology, 1.2 yuan value 50 x 30mm, perf 13.

Issue number 2022-3 released 2022 April 23. The fifth in a series of stamps illustrating The Dream of Red Mansions, one of the most famous works of Chinese literature. The work was written by Cao Xueqin from about 1740 – 1764 and first published in 1791. This issue contains four different stamps each with a face value of 1.20 yuan. This set was designed by Xiao Yutian. The stamps were printed as individual stamps, 16 to a sheet (190 x 246 mm sheet) and as a mini-sheet with two sets of all four stamps combined (216 x 144 mm sheet). All stamps are 40 x 54 mm, perf 13 syncopated.

There is also a souvenir sheet which includes a stamp valued at 6 yuan. The stamp is 56 x 77 mm, perf 13 x 13.5 syncopated, in a sheet of 138 x 93mm.

All parts of this issue are printed using Photogravure at the Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works.

Issue number 2022-4: On Feburary 4, 2022, China Post issued 2 stamps In Commemoration of the Opening Ceremony of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games. The designs are named "Together for a Shared Future" and "The Light of Hope". The denomination of each stamp is 1.20 yuan.

The XXIV Olympic Winter Games were held February 4 to 20 in Beijing and Zhangjiakou. Beijing became the first city in the history of the Games to host both Summer and Winter Olympics. Designed by Wang Huming, this set of stamps takes white and blue as the main colors to highlight winter sports. The stamps were printed with offset printing technology by Henan Posts and Telecommunications Printing House Company. The first picture "Together for a Shared Future" uses laser holographic technology. When the stamp is turned, the colorful changes of the Winter Olympics emblem and the Chinese knot can be seen vividly. The second picture "The Light of Hope" integrates holographic cold foil stamping with other technologies to highlight the three-dimensional snowflake and flickering flame. Under illumination, the picture becomes rich and dynamic, showing a sense of modernity and high-tech. Each stamp measures 56x33 mm and has a perforation of 13.

Issue 2022-5: The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Mexico. China Post issued a set of two commemorative stamps entitled The 50th Anniversary of China-Mexico Diplomatic Relations on February 14, 2022. The pictures on the stamps are China's Astro Observatory and Mexico's Kukulcan Pyramid

The Astro Observatory, situated in Gaocheng town, Dengfeng, Henan Province, was built in the early Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) under the supervision of astronomer Guo Shoujing. It is the oldest and most well preserved observatory in China and is on the World Cultural Heritage List. Located in the north of Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Kukulcan Pyramid is considered the acme of Mayan civilization in Mexico. Kukulkan is known as the incarnation of the sun in the Mayan culture. In 1988, the Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen Itza, including the Kukulkan Pyramid, was included on the World Heritage List.

The set of stamps is designed by Ma Lihang, and printed with photogravure technology by Beijing Stamp Printing House Company Limited. In line with the theme of the stamps, the Chinese characters on the stamp of the Astro Observatory are printed with super bright silver ink, and white fluorescence is used on the background halo and stars to highlight the night scene effect with special star-shaped perforations. The stamp of the Kukulcan Pyramid uses super bright golden ink to display the Chinese characters, and orange fluorescence highlights the background of the sun's radiance. Its perforations are shaped as the sun. Each stamp is 44 * 33 mm with perforations of 13 x 13.5 with the special syncopated perforations noted above.

Issue 2022-6: China Post issued a set of seven special stamps entitled Natural World Heritage–South China Karst on April 28, 2022. The designs of stamps consist of Shilin Karst, Libo Karst, Wulong Karst, Guilin Karst, Shibing Karst, Jinfoshan Karst and Huanjiang Karst. The denomination of each stamp is 1.20 yuan.

China has the largest area of karst landforms in the world, distributed from tropical to cold temperate zones, from humid to arid areas. It also has the most comprehensive variety of karst landforms. (Karst is a type of geology formed from soluble carbonate rocks like limestone, gypsum and dolomite. It features underground caves and above ground pillars. Refer to Wikipedia article entitled South China Karst.)

Shilin Karst is the world's only karst landscape in the subtropical plateau region and has the most peculiar karst landform, thereby enjoying a high reputation in the field of geoscience in the world. Libo Karst, located in Libo county of Guizhou province, is characterized by its fengcong (cone) and fenglin (tower) karst formations. Wulong Karst comprises three independent karst zones. Three natural karst stone arch bridges — Tianlong bridge, Qinglong bridge and Heilong bridge are the largest natural bridge cluster in Asia.

Guilin Karst is typical of fenglin and fengcong karst landforms, and boasts internationally acclaimed fenglin riverine landscapes. The vast area, beautiful shape, height and density of fenglin in Guilin rank first in the world. Shibing Karst shows the unique and spectacular landscape of dolomite karst in tropical and subtropical zones. Jinfoshan Karst is well known for its typical karst table mountain, ancient high-altitude caves, colorful surface karst landscapes, rich biodiversity and ancient Natrii Sulfas preparation history. Huanjiang Karst contains the largest, most intact and most pristine karst forest in the world. Huanjiang Karst is a natural extension of Libo Karst. Together the two sites preserve the complete transition from plateau karst to low mountain and fengcong karst, and reflect a complete and unique karst evolution process,.

The stamps were designed by Yang Wenqing, and adopt western-style painting techniques. They were printed with photogravure technology by Beijing Stamp Printing House Company Limited. The six-color high screen ruling printing facilitates the full presentation of the features of South China Karst. With bi-colored anti-counterfeiting fluorescence ink of yellow and red, the pictures of stamps become more vivid and three-dimensional when observed under ultraviolet light. The stamps are 50 x 30mm with the usual 13 perforations