China Philatelic Information------World of Chinese Stamps and Philatelic Items

Goddess of the River Luo --- Special Stamps

Date of issue: 28 September, 2005

Technical Details:

Serial number: 2005-25
Values in set: 10
Denomination: 8.00 yuan
Date of issue: 28 September, 2005
Designer of stamps: Wang Huming
Size of stamp: 50 * 30 mm (Picture 1, 2, 8, 10); 60 * 30 mm (Picture 3, 5, 6, 7); 40 * 30 mm (Picture 4, 9)
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 10 (se-tenant)
Size of sheet: 276 * 110 mm
Printing process: offset-engraving
Printer: Henan Post & Telecom Printing House

(10-1)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-2)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-3)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-4)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-5)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-6)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-7)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-8)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-9)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen
(10-10)T Goddess of the River Luo (detail) 80 fen

Background Informations:

On 28 September 2005, the State Post Bureau will issue a ten-piece set of special stamps, "Goddess of the River Luo", with a total face value of 8.00 yuan. The pictures on the stamps are all entitled "Goddess of the River Luo (detail)".

The painting of "Goddess of the River Luo" was drawn by the famous artist Gu Kaizhi (348 --- 409) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It is about six meters in length ans was created in ink with light color on a silk scroll. The theme of the painting came from the namesake poetic prose written by Cao Zhi (192 --- 232), from Wei of the Three Kingdoms. Cao Zhi described his love as Luoshen (Goddess of the River Luo), expressing his strong feeling for her. Based on the description of the prose, the painting vividly portrays the artistic mood in three parts. Gu's style of painting is bold, natural and easy. Gu Kaizhi, styling himself Changkang, was born in Wuxi in todays's Jiangsu Province. He was a versatile man who was good at painting, and figure painting in particular. His paintings are life-like and he is known for his brilliant finishing touches. "Goddess of the River Luo" is one of his masterpieces.

China National Philatelic Corporation will release five FDCs.