Discipline, abacus, winemaking, 24 solar terms...... Another batch of creations and inventions that have had a significant impact on the ancient production and life of the mainland have appeared in the world of stamps. A few days ago, the third series of commemorative covers of "Important Scientific and Technological Inventions and Creations in Ancient China" and the first release of personalized stamp albums were held at the National Science and Technology Communication Center.
The third series of commemorative covers of "Important Scientific and Technological Inventions and Creations in Ancient China" issued this time has a total of 9 pieces, including: "Correction of the Pipe Nozzle", "The Forbidden City", "The Twenty-four Solar Terms", "The Classification System of the Compendium of Materia Medica", "The Brewing of Alcoholic Beverages", "Chinese Abacus", "Zhuoyu", "Piston Bellows", and "Rotating Shaft Rudder". Among them, the "Forbidden City" (seal number: PFTN· KJ·GD-20) adopts a special process, and the main picture of the front of the cover uses a transparent color UV process.
The third commemorative cover carefully selects a number of representative ancient scientific and technological inventions and creations, showing the wisdom of ancient China in many fields, from agricultural textiles to material making, from mathematical optics to engineering construction, from medical rhythm to vehicles and ships.
For example, the Palace Museum in Beijing, formerly known as the "Forbidden City", is the culmination of ancient Chinese palace architecture, which is not only an important material carrier of traditional Chinese culture, but also witnesses the development of the pluralistic and integrated pattern of the Chinese nation.
Now it has become a specific festival of the "24 solar terms", originated in the Warring States period, matured in the early Western Han Dynasty, is the outstanding creation of the ancestors of the mainland, occupies an important position in astronomy and calendar, is the experience of the working people of the mainland to master agriculture and the seasons;
"The brewing of alcoholic beverages" has promoted the development of agriculture and food processing technology, and the invention of koji predates Europe thousands of years, and the unique flavor of Chinese liquor made from it is now deeply rooted in people's daily life and social life.
Designed by Zhang Panjian and Zhang Qingfeng, this series of commemorative covers has both the beauty of science and art, which can not only feel the antique flavor of traditional culture, but also boldly innovate in design and production. Each type of postmark is marked with a different color system according to the traditional Chinese color spectrum. The commemorative cover is equipped with a beautiful sleeve, which intuitively expresses scientific and technological achievements through the main picture, postmark, and personalized stamps.
The commemorative covers and personalized stamp albums of "Important Scientific and Technological Inventions and Creations in Ancient China" are designed and produced based on 88 items of "Important Scientific and Technological Inventions and Creations in Ancient China" of the Institute of History of Natural Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, aiming to show the ancient scientific achievements and scientific and technological civilization of the mainland, disseminate scientific ideas, promote the spirit of science, and enhance cultural self-confidence. The commemorative cover is planned to be issued in ten series, one every quarter, the first and second series have been issued on the Science and Technology Workers' Day in May this year and the National Science Popularization Day in September respectively, and have been highly praised by all sectors of society.
The commemorative cover and the fourth volume of the promissory note book of "Important Scientific and Technological Inventions and Creations in Ancient China" are scheduled to be issued on March 20, 2024, the day of the vernal equinox. There are nine items in the content, namely: the six bodies of cartography, the Potala Palace, the luni-solar calendar, the science of medicine, tea cultivation, porcelain, the system of linear equations and their solutions, the compass (compass), and Zheng He's navigation.
The event was co-sponsored by the Bureau of the Academic Division of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Science and Technology Communication Center of the China Association for Science and Technology, the Institute of History of Natural Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Philatelic Co., Ltd., and the China Science and Technology News Society.