Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps on idioms to enhance teenagers’ understanding of Chinese idioms and to inspire them. The issue will be released and put into circulation on the 20th of March. All four stamps have message for life to follow . The designs follow:
1. Bo Le Appraises the Horse (NT$5): Bo Le is the name of a constellation in charge of the heavenly stable. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC), there was a man named Sun Yang that many called Bo Le because he was expert in the ways of horses. There is a legend about his search for a good horse. One day, he saw a horse struggling to pull a salt cart up a steep slope. When he approached, the horse suddenly neighed loudly. From the horse’s cry, Bo Le knew that this was the horse he was looking for, so he purchased it. After being properly cared for, the horse did indeed become a great war horse. Later, people began to call anyone who was good at scouting talent Bo Le.
2. The Ambition of a Swan (NT$5): The Records of the Grand Historian devoted a chapter to a man named Chen She. Chen was poor when he was young and once worked as a farmhand. One day, he woefully said to his coworkers: “Let’s not forget about each other when one of us strikes it rich one day”. The others laughed and said, “You are just a hired farmhand, you will never strike it rich”. Sighing, Chen said “How can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan?” The idiom compares ordinary people to sparrows, who are incapable of understanding the aspirations of a hero. Later, the idiom came to be used to describe great ambition.
3. Adept with Both the Pen and the Sword (NT$5): In Chapter 93 of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a man beats Kong Ming at his own game. Surprised, Kong Ming inquires about him: “Who is that? How did he see through my trick? “He then was told: “His name is Jiang Wei who is very devoted to his mother. He is adept with both the pen and the sword. What’s more, he is intelligent and brave. He is a truly outstanding fellow”. The idiom “adept with both the pen and the sword” is now used to encourage people to pay attention to their work and their extracurricular skills.
4. Tiny Blade of Grass and Spring Sun (NT$5): “The Song of the Wandering Son”, a poem by Tang dynasty poet Meng Jiao, reads as follows: “The thread in the hand of a loving mother goes into the clothes for her wandering son. She makes the stitches tight before he leaves, worrying it might be a while before he returns. How can tiny blades of grass repay the sun, however much they appreciate its warmth?” The idiom describes how children receive so much from their parents that it is hard to expect them to repay it in kind.
Here are new stamps from Portugal commemorating International Year of Crystallography. By official decision of the UN, the year 2014 was declared the International Year of Crystallography. This ephemeris is jointly organized by the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) and UNESCO and aims to create a link between two other initiatives of this sort: the International Year of Chemistry, held in 2011, and the International Year of Light, which will be celebrated in 2015.
As such, these three worldwide celebrations fall into the strategic guidelines of the International Program of Fundamental Sciences of UNESCO, in collaboration with other scientific programs of the Organization, such as the International Geoscience Program, designed to further knowledge of this Science within Society and of its vital contribution to our well-being on this planet.
However, although Crystallography is today basilar to all Fundamental Sciences (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology and Geology), it remains relatively unknown to the general public. One of the goals of this anniversary is to promote education and public awareness of the importance of this science by conducting various activities worldwide, such as this stamp issue.
The issue “Ano Internacional da Cristalografia” consists of five stamps and a souvenir sheet, which illustrate crystallography in the areas of geology, physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology. In the souvenir sheet water is present as an aggregating component.
Porcelain on New Taiwan stamps
Date of Issue : 19 September 2014
Taiwan Post office is issuing the stamps that are dedicated to porcelain – China’s most important inventions. Traditional blue and white porcelain, an especially exemplary combination of skillful technique and aesthetic sensibility, is regarded as one of the most unique forms of Chinese ceramics.
So as to celebrate the cultural legacy, Chunghwa Post has selected works from the National Museum of History for a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet.
Their designs follow:
Stamps: Dish decorated with floral design in underglaze blue, Qing Dynasty (NT$5); Jar decorated with peony pattern in underglaze blue, Ming Dynasty (NT$10); Jar decorated with dragon design and character “shou” in underglaze blue, Ming Dynasty (NT$12); Flat vase decorated with ladies in underglaze blue, Qing Dynasty (NT$20).
Souvenir Sheet: Plate decorated with flower and bird pattern in underglaze blue, Qing Dynasty (NT$25).
New pictorial cancellation from Poland
On September 9th 2014 a new pictorial cancellation will be available in Koszalin 9.The pictorial cancellation is featuring a Black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus).
Courtesy : Wolfgang Beyer, Vice Chairman of the German Philatelic Collector Group ARGE ZOOLOGIE. E.Mail: Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de & Heike Peschel
Date of Issue : 11 June 2014
Chunghwa Post ( Taiwan) is issuing set of four stamps, featuring Foeniculum vulgare, Perilla frutescens, Lavandula angustifolia, and Ocimum basilicum. These four fragrant herbs are extensively used for flavoring and medicinal purposes. The designs follow:
1. Foeniculum vulgare (NT$3.5): A perennial herbaceous plant of the family Apiaceae, it is known for its yellowish green, pinnate and finely dissected leaves. Its flowers are a delightful yellow.
2. Perilla frutescens (NT$5): A perennial herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae, it has heart-shaped leaves, with serrate edges. Its flowers are dark pink in color. The plant is reddish purple throughout.
3. Lavandula angustifolia (NT$12): A woody plant of the family Lamiaceae, the edge of the leaf is smooth. Younger, newer leaves are covered in dense white tomentose hairs, which would fall off as the leaves age, and their green tint become visible. The flowers are blue, pinkish or white.
4. Ocimum basilicum (NT$25): A perennial herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae, the surface of its leaves is either smooth or slightly puckered. The flowers are white or pinkish.
Club News
The British Guiana One-Cent Magenta, which is billed as the 'world’s most famous stamp, will go on sale on June 17.
158-year-old stamp which is one of the rarest stamps of the world, British Guiana One-Cent Magenta is in the news these days as it is expected to fetch $20 million in 17th June auction at Sotheby's New York .
The Unique British Guiana 1856 One-Cent stamp, printed on magenta surface-colored paper, is currently on display at the exclusive auction house's London branch before going on sale in the US on June 17.
Billed as ‘the world's most valuable stamp', the piece was first purchased either on or before April 4, 1856. It was discovered by 12-year old schoolboy Louis Vernon Vaughan in 1873, as part of his uncle's stamp collection.
It was sold later that year and turned up in Paris in 1878 before being passed on to Austrian nobleman Count Philippe la Renotiere von Ferrary, a famous stamp collector. In 1922 ‘the world's rarest stamp' was sold for a record amount of $32,500.
It went under auction again before finally breaking a new record in 1980, when John E. du Pont paid $935,000. The iconic talisman is now returning to the market, and Sotheby's predicts that it will sell for anywhere between $10 million and $20 million.
By Shampa Dhar Kamath
They used to say the most interesting thing about a postage stamp was the persistence with which it stuck to its job. I would say the perseverance with which it clings to life is even more remarkable.
Reports of the death of philately appear to be greatly exaggerated. Stamp collecting as a hobby is floundering for sure, but dying, apparently not. After June 17, it could be most definitely not. That’s the day a 158-year-old stamp from British Guiana goes under the hammer at a Sotheby’s auction in New York. The ‘Unique One-Cent Magenta’ has done the auction circuit before: it sold in 1922 for the then record amount of $32,500 and in 1980 for $935,000. This time, Sotheby’s expects it to fetch between $10 million and $20 million.
A printing mistake in publishing can cost you your job. In the world of stamps, it simply gets you more money. Consider the Swedish Treskilling Yellow, which has become one of the world’s most precious bits of paper just because it is in the wrong hue. (A normal three-skilling stamp in Sweden should be blue-green; this one was erroneously printed in yellow). The stamp sold in Zurich in 1996 for $2.3 million; it exchanged hands for a larger sum last year but all the auctioneer would say is that the buyer believes it to be a “solid investment in these turbulent times”.
Not all stamps have that exciting a career graph, but that doesn’t seem to affect 60 million people around the globe from collecting them. At last count, 200 countries were still issuing stamps and at least 9,000 new ones were being printed every year. India can lay claim to at least 60 sets of those, with many of our sets containing more than just one coloured bit of paper.
Not that it’s just about collecting— analysts say stamps are among the top four investments of the 20th century and produce an average return of 11 per cent per annually. Like everything else, many of the new stars—both stamps and their collectors—come from China. A set of 1967 stamps featuring Mao Zedong greeting crowds with quotes from his Little Red Book is already worth $53,000.
But India is not completely out of the picture. By making our own share of printing errors, we’ve managed to enter the history books too. There’s a four-anna stamp from British India, with Queen Victoria’s head printed upside down. That error is worth at least Rs 1 crore today. A stamp from a 1948 set of Rs 10 stamps bearing the picture of Mahatma Gandhi, with the word ‘service’ stamped across his chest, sold in 2011 for $205,000 (Rs 1.2 crore at today’s rate).
Those who can’t afford such errors may like to take up India Posts on its ‘My Stamp’ offer. For a while now, the department has been offering individuals the facility to convert their personal photographs into legally-valid stamps. All you need to do is show up at the post office carrying valid identification papers and a good-quality photograph of yourself. You will be handed a selection of backgrounds to choose from—such as flowers, zodiac signs, flowers, wildlife—to use alongside your picture. Choose whichever visual you like best, cough up Rs 300 and, voila, your face can be the stamp on the next letter you post.
They say the President of today is the postage stamp of tomorrow. Maybe your career could go in reverse.
Date of Issue : 27 September 2013
Taiwan Post issued a set of 10 beautiful stamps featuring famous tourist attractions of Taiwan.
With the release of the “Personal Greeting Stamps – Travel in Taiwan” on September 27, 2011, Chunghwa Post continues the legacy and is issuing a new set of personal greeting stamps, featuring Taiwan’s most famed tourism spots. The designs follow:
1. The Presidential Office Building (NT$5): The building is a five-story, post-reconnaisance architecture. On national holidays, it is festooned with celebratory decorations and diamond-studded with lights, as glorious as a diadem.
2. National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (NT$5): The Hall is a nod to the corniced architecture of the Tang Dynasty. Majestic and awe-inspiring, the Hall sits on the luxuriant green grass and vibrant flower shrubs of Chung Shan Park.
3. The National Palace Museum (NT$5): The Museum’s main building is a Chinese palatial structure. Built with turquoise-green tiles and trimmed with yellow ridges, the museum houses near 700,000 prized artifacts. It encapsulates more than five thousand years of Chinese cultural essence.
4. The Taipei 101 (NT$5): At 508 meters in total height, this skyscraper is built in the likeness of an erect bamboo that soars into the sky, symbolizing growth and prosperity. The building is one of Taipei’s most prominent landmarks.
5. National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (NT$5): Styled after the top of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, and structurally inspired by the Egyptian pyramid, the monument is bracketed by the National Theater and National Concert Hall on the left and right, respectively. The spacious Memorial Hall is an internationally popular tourist attraction.
6. Jiufen (NT$5): Nostalgic and evocative, the seasonal allures in Jiufen are one of a kind. The small town is a well-loved tourism bright spot.
The design of the top most stamps are as follows :
7. Alishan (NT$12): At an elevation of 2,216 meters, Alishan is framed by tall mountains all around, with majestic gorges and roaring waterfalls. The sunrise, the sea of clouds, the enchanting glow of sunset, the unbroken forest and the alpine railway are collectively called, the Five Wonders of Alishan.
8. Qingshui Cliff (NT$12): The cliff is situated in the stretch between Heping and Chongde on the Su-Hua Highway, and a geological marvel on Taiwan’s east coast. Rising at over 1,000 meters above sea level, the cliff nestles against the Pacific Ocean at a near right angle. A steep precipice on one side and an expanse of blue ocean on the other, the sight is breathtaking.
9. The Queen’s Head (NT$12): Yeliu is an extension of Mt. Datun that reaches into the ocean to form a cape. The cape is noted for its quaint geological landscape defined by the constant erosion of ocean waves, the weathering of rocks and crustal movement. Among which, the Queen’s Head – a mushroom rock – is an internationally celebrated attraction.
10. Sun Moon Lake (NT$12): Located at an elevation of 748 meters, the Lake is cloaked by layers of mist, fog, and contrasted by the distinctively outlined mountain scape, making it a classical piece of ink art.
Planting and the use of herb plants have grown to be a trend in recent years. To showcase the enchanting beauty of these multipurpose plants, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps featuring Mentha piperita, Rosmarinusofficinalis, Salvia elegans, and Artemisia indica. The designs follow:
Mentha piperita (NT$5): It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae. The plant has opposite, ovate or oval-shaped leaves. The flowers are either white or pink, and grown in whorls. It is edible, medicinally useful, and a common ingredient in essential oils, pesticides and pest repellants.
Rosmarinusofficinalis (NT$5): It is a woody, perennial plant of the family Lamiaceae. The leaves are opposite, long and narrow; the colors are rich green, with a pleasant sheen. The flowers are blue, white or pink. The plant is edible and extensively used for medicinal purposes. It is also a common ingredient in essential oils and bath products.
Salvia elegans (NT$12): It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae. The leaves are either ovate or heart-shaped; they emit a mild, fruity fragrance when brushed or rubbed. The flowers are red. The plant is edible.
Artemisia indica (NT$15): It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae.
The leaves are pinnate, green, with dense white tomentose hairs on the underside.
When they just bloom, the flowers are light yellow. The plant is edible and a medicinal herb. It is also used in essential oils, scenting, and folk practices.
Date of Issue : 2 April 2013
Hi !
Here is a beautiful set issued by Taiwan Post featuring “Children at Play”. This set will take back you to your childhood days when you used to play these games. One must have made paper planes and played with the Top as a child. So this is a fantastic issue that rekindles our warm memories of childhood . The set is sure to be liked by all kids as well as those who collect on “ Children” theme.
This is all for today….More in Next Post….. Have a Nice Day !!
The design of stamps :
1. Carrying Lanterns: Using sticks to carry lanterns with candles flickering inside through the dark streets used to be a common childhood memory of the lantern festival.
2. Flying Paper Airplanes: Raise your gaze upward and send a paper airplane out into space. Let it carry childhood dreams to heaven.
3. Playing with a Pinwheel: When the wind picks up, bring out your pinwheel and let the wind do its magic: Let it spin back the rich and varied joys of childhood.
4. Spinning Tops: You fling yours, and I’ll fling mine. Spinning tops have long brought happiness to children.
5. Playing with Hand Puppets: Remarkably true-to-life hand puppet dramas captivate children, adding much pleasure to their lives.
To spotlight the extraordinary diversity of Taiwan's delicious cuisine, and encourage international gourmands to visit Taiwan for a taste of the island's culinary delights, Chunghwa Post has planned a series of Signature Taiwan Delicacies Postage Stamps.
The first set of four stamps features delectable home cooked dishes. The designs follow:
1. Gong Bao Chicken: Legend has it that this internationally popular dish was the brainchild of Ding Baozhen, a governor of Sichuan during the reign of Guangxu Emperor of Qing Dynasty. Chicken is the primary ingredient, complemented by peanuts, diced cucumbers, scallion onions, chili pepper and spicy condiments.
2. Mud Crab with Glutinous Rice Cake: This scrumptious dish found its beginning in the Eight Treasure Mud Crab Rice Pudding. The reinvented version is a culinary treat featuring mushrooms, ground pork, dried shrimp and glutinous rice. The luscious, juicy crab meat and the scrumptious, smooth crab roe set off the texture of the glutinous rice cake.
3. Three-Cup Chicken: The chicken is stewed in an earthenware pot, seasoned with rice wine, soy sauce, basil and chili pepper until the sauces are absorbed by the meat to produce a unique, rich aroma.
4. Hakka Stir-Fry: A majority of ingredients used in Hakka dishes comes from dried foods. Stir-frying is a heavily used technique in Hakka dishes, featuring dried squid, fatty pork, and tofu flavored with the five spices. The ingredients are cut into strips and slices, and stir-fried into a savory dish.
Greeting stamps from Taiwan
Date of Issue : 28 September 2012
Hi !
Here are some beautiful Greeting stamps to be issued by Taiwan Post on 27 September 2012. Each flower has its own meaning…. A wonderful set of stamps to send greetings to your dear ones…This set will be liked by all those who love flowers….There are two sets in different denominations with same Flowers but the background color is different !!
This is all for Today……Have a Nice Day !!
To provide more custom design options, Chunghwa Post is issuing a second set of ten stamps featuring the "language of flowers". This series is a follow-up to the "Personal Greeting Stamps – Travel in Taiwan," issued on September 27, 2011. All ten stamps come in denominations of NT$3.50 and NT$5.00; the different denominations are distinguished by different background colors. The designs follow:
1. Cotton rose: daintiness. Comely and graceful, cotton roses always manage to stand out in a sea of flowers. They are often used to describe ladies of extraordinary beauty.
2. Bird-of-Paradise: passion. It is known for its distinguished, moon-gazing crane shape. The colors are a bright, flaming red. Bird-of-paradise also represents freedom, fulfillment and bliss.
3. Clary sage: respect. Clary sage comes in pink and bluish purple. It represents longevity and defense against bad fortunes.
4. Dancing lady orchid: gentleness. Dancing lady orchid inspires an impression of dancing butterflies. Small, dainty yellow blossoms hang around the stalks like tiny bells.
5. Zinnia: everlastingness : Zinnia is known for its long flowering period. When in full bloom, the flowers seem to tower one another. It therefore also represents elevation in status.
6. Tagetes erecta: health : The petals are full and bright, with a relatively long flowering period. As a flower species, Tagetes erecta is popular for its vitality.
7. Chinese hibiscus: grace : The blossoms are flamboyant and pleasing to the eye. Chinese hibiscus also represents new love.
8. Fragrant olive: humility : The blossoms are exquisite and sweet with fragrance. Its Chinese moniker, "Gui," is also homonymous with the Chinese word, "value." The flower therefore is seen as a symbol of status and prosperity.
9. Flowering crab apple: warmth. The flower blooms in spring, and brings with it the welcoming warmth of the season. Known for its magic spell, crab apple is also lovingly called, "understand me."
10. Hydrangea: hope : Hydrangea flowers thrive in the warmth of spring. They are the vanguard of a new season.
To commemorate traditional Chinese festivals, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps featuring the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The designs of the stamps follow:
1. The Chinese New Year (NT＄5): Chinese New Year is characterized by auspicious celebrations that symbolize the idea of the old giving way to the new. The stamp features fireworks to convey a sense of joy and fruitfulness. It also shows traditional New Year's calligraphic couplets, with chun (the character for spring) on one side of the door, and fu (the character for good fortune) on the other. These convey the idea that "with spring comes good fortune."
2. The Lantern Festival (NT＄5): The Lantern Festival is like a mini Chinese New Year. Every household celebrates and hangs decorative lanterns. The stamp features a traditionally styled lantern, glutinous rice balls, and wooden red flip-flops representing that everything comes in pairs. The design is meant to convey the idea of blessings coming as families gather to celebrate the holiday.
3. The Dragon Boat Festival (NT＄10): Dragon boat races and eating zongzi are the two activities most representative of the Dragon Boat Festival. It is a folk tradition to hang sweet sedge and Asian mugwort over the door to one's house so as to ward off insect infestations. It is also customary to wear sachets of fragrant herbs dangling from one's waist and to drink realgar wine as a way of praying for peace and safety.
4. The Mid-Autumn Festival (NT＄25): "The moon is full and the people united." The Mid-Autumn Festival is a holiday that celebrates reunions. The stamp features a shiny, bright moon and the Jade Hare and Lady Chang'e accompanying each other in the Palace of the Moon. The moon cakes symbolize the beauty of the clan being whole and united.
