2024 is the Year of the Dragon. The dragon is the totem and unique spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation, which carries people's ideals and aspirations, and is a symbol of majesty, strength, enterprising and auspiciousness.
Zodiac stamps have always been a hot topic at the beginning of each year, this year is the Year of the Dragon, the dragon has a special meaning for China, and the Year of the Dragon stamps are also given a different value. This year, China Post issued the 2024 Year of the Dragon zodiac stamps, and there was a prediction that "one ticket is hard to find" when the design was just announced. On the day of release, there were even people in a long queue, and the popularity can be seen.
China Post
This is the 4th round of zodiac stamps "Jiachen year" dragon stamps, a total of 2, this set of "Jiachen year" dragon zodiac stamps is the State Post Bureau Stamp Printing Bureau chief designer, deputy chief designer Wang Huming teacher and Beijing stamp factory two stamp engravers joint work.
The stamp is titled "Tianlong Xingjian", and its shape is derived from the glazed shadow wall outside the Huangji Gate of the Forbidden City - the Nine Dragon Wall. The whole stamp is red, black and gold, red is auspicious, black is calm and solemn, and gold is brilliant and sacred. Coupled with the combination of Tenglong and auspicious clouds, the overall display of auspicious and auspicious and auspicious vision.
The second stamp is "Chenlong Xianrui". The shape originates from the "auspicious dragon arch wall" in the ancient Chinese traditional auspicious pattern, and the word "auspicious" in the circle is combined, implying auspiciousness and perfection, blessing and health. The Ruyi pattern above and the blue sea wave pattern below depict the grand occasion of the dragon and the four seas, implying that the country and the people are safe, the four seas are rising, and the world is peaceful. The overall picture and the shape of the stamp form the shape of the sky and the round place, implying the good wish of harmony and symbiosis between heaven and man.
In addition, China Post has also launched the "Zodiac Dragon Book" Chinese Dragon Culture Collection, which not only includes the "Jiachen Year" dragon zodiac stamps, but also includes the previous first round, second round and third round of dragon zodiac stamps.
The Chinese Dragon Culture Collection includes a total of 32 precious stamps. Each set of stamps is related to the "Dragon", including the Kowloon Wall stamps, the "Yunjin Jin" special stamps, and the "Dragon's New Year" souvenir sheet.
All stamps in the album are issued by China Post, and each set has a collection appraisal certificate with an individual number on the certificate, and each dragon album is unique - unique.
In addition to China Post, Hongkong Post, Macao Post and Telecommunications and the United Nations Postal Administration have also issued stamps for the Year of the Dragon. Not only that, the United States Postal Service also issued a stamp for the Year of the Dragon, and the design of this stamp has also sparked heated discussions among a large number of netizens.
Hongkong Post
Hongkong Post will issue a set of four stamps entitled "Year of the Dragon" and stamp sheetlet in early January 2024. This set of Lunar New Year stamps is the first set of the fifth round, showcasing a variety of vivid dragons with different graphic elements and festive colours to present the joyful atmosphere of the flying dragons.
Macao Post and Telecommunications
Macao Post and Telecommunications will issue a set of four stamps and stamp sheetlets for "Year of the Dragon" in early January 2024. This series of stamps is based on the four seasons and features the Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Winter Solstice. Each stamp depicts the changing seasons through different images and elements of the dragon.
United Nations Postal Administration
The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) issued a special stamp sheet for the first year of the Chinese lunar calendar in New York on the 19th to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year.
The Dragon Sheet consists of 10 stamps with a face value of US$1.50 each. The left half of the stamp is the emblem of the United Nations, and the right half is a picture of the auspicious clouds of Long Xiang created by Pan Hu, a doctoral student of Professor Wang Hongwei of the Department of Visual Communication Design at Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts.
The Dragon Pass can be customized on the UNPA website to replace the UN emblem on the left with a personal picture.
The United Nations Postal Administration issues stamps in denominations in U.S. dollars, Swiss francs and euros in New York, Geneva, Switzerland, and Vienna, Austria.
U.S. Postal Service
According to the San Francisco Standard, this year's U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp for the Year of the Dragon featuring a three-dimensional bright yellow animal face with red eyes, a red nose and fangs.
Since 1993, the U.S. Postal Service has issued a Zodiac stamp every year. However, this year's Year of the Dragon design has sparked controversy, with some Chinese-Americans complaining that the stamp is "like an ox and a monkey" and "has no sense of auspiciousness".
According to the U.S. Postal Service's website, they will print 22 million stamps this year and will begin issuing them after the unveiling event for the Chinese community in Seattle this month.
The Year of the Dragon stamp fire is due to the value-added space of the stamps themselves on the one hand, and the symbol of auspiciousness and peace in China on the other. This year's zodiac stamps, in the cultural aspect, aesthetic breakthrough and upgrading, is also a key factor to attract young people to join the ranks of stamp collection, at the same time, is also the full embodiment of the cultural self-confidence of the Chinese people!