There are always some seemingly unrelated things in the world, but there is a deep fate in the dark. Just like the 196 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the "World's Most Complete Bird Stamps" exhibition in the "Phoenix Plume South" Bird Science Exhibition, they are linked because of the common concern for bird conservation.
Exhibition site. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
In the past history of human development, due to the rapid increase in population and the crazy plundering of natural resources, the ecosystems on the earth have been greatly impacted, and biodiversity has also been challenged. In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development published an epoch-making report entitled "Our Common Future", calling for "a new era of healthy and green economic development".
Thus, in 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, more than 17,000 kilometers away from Beijing and 11 time zones away from Beijing, the participating countries of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development signed the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims to protect endangered plants and animals and maximize the protection of the earth's diverse biological resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
Stamps collected by the Golden Flying Leopard. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
On May 14, 2006, the famous explorer Jin Fei leopard launched a final assault on the summit of Mount Everest on the roof of the world, and he found that in this extreme environment where humans need oxygen cylinders and down jackets to maintain their lives, crows can still fly here. Since then, he has developed a keen interest in birds, which have become a companion of the Golden Flying Leopard on their adventures.
Once the mind belongs, it will be responsible and invested regardless of the return. Since 2008, out of love for birds, the golden flying leopard in addition to the development of expedition activities began to focus on the world, to collect stamps on the topic of birds, many of the philatelic products he came from the foreign flea market in the hot sun, discerning pearls, some are paid a lot of money, through the twists and turns from the hands of collectors, from this small square inch, the golden flying leopard experienced the world's exotic birds and rare birds, for the survival of endangered birds, more ecological deterioration led to extinction of birds strangled.
Guinness "World's Most Complete Bird Stamps" certification. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
Until 2018, the 14,558 bird stamps collected by the Golden Flying Leopard were certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the world's most complete bird stamps". On the occasion of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming, when the Golden Flying Leopard re-combed the set of stamps that had been expanded to 16,500 pieces, it was unexpectedly found that among the 315 countries, regions and overseas territories involved in the world, it included the bird stamps issued by all 196 parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (of which the European Union had not issued stamps) without omission!
At the "Fengling South Present" Bird Science Exhibition, various parties told the public a story about birds through stamps, which are the world's common cultural IP and graphic language, which is really a kind of agreement in the dark and with a sharp mind.
Birds are a "flying landscape" in the eyes of human beings
Between the square inches of the stamps, it is the "mini stage" that can best show the cultural and artistic level of various countries. The stamps on display not only contain the deep affection of the people of all countries for birds, but also fully demonstrate the demeanor of the parties in biodiversity conservation. The oldest stamp in this set is the Black Swan stamp issued by Western Australia in 1861. Western Australia is the home of the black swan, and its capital, Perth, has the nickname "Swan City", and it is not difficult to imagine how proud the craftsmen of more than 100 years ago were when they used their own skillful hands to shape this lifelike black swan.
Early Western Australian stamps, first issued in 1861. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
The Odupont commemorative stamp in the exhibit was written by the American painter John James Audubon. John James Audubon was a famous American painter and naturalist, and his bird atlases are known as "American National Treasures". Audubon has developed a keen interest in nature and birds since he was a child, enjoying wandering in the uninhibited fields and forests. Audubon left countless paintings in his lifetime, each of which is not only an important material for scientific research, but also a rare masterpiece of art, and he has published two paintings, "Birds of the Americas" and "Quadrupeds of the Americas". Birds of the Americas was hailed as the greatest and most influential work of the 19th century.
Bird paintings of Audubon. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
In China, there are also bird stamps known as the "most beautiful design" - Chinese birds. Wang Lisong, a researcher at the Kunming Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, commented on the stamp designer Zeng Xiaolian: "Teacher Zeng's paintings can make people cry!" Professor Zeng Xiaolian is currently a professor-level painter at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, a member of the China Association of Popular Science Writers, a member of the Art Professional Committee, and a member of the China Yunnan Artists Association, who has long been engaged in the illustration of scientific and technological books, and has published more than 2,000 illustrations. Zeng Xiaolian spent his life seeking a combination between science and art, praising nature in the form of painting, publicizing and calling for the protection of birds, the protection of rare plants, and the protection of the earth's environment.
Special stamp "Chinese Bird". Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
In his more than 40 years of scientific research and artistic career, Zeng Xiaolian designed several sets of stamps for the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications: June 25, 1991 T162 "Rhododendron", March 10, 1992 1992-3 "Fir Tree", May 2, 1996 1996 "Cycad", May 9, 1997 1997 -7 "Rare Bird", December 12, 2000-24 "Junzilan", March 5, 2003 2003-4 "Lily", September 19, 2004 2004-18 Artemisia annua, March 12, 2006 2006-5 Relict Plants, February 28, 2008 2008-4 Chinese Birds.
Zeng Xiaolian bird works. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
The "Chinese Bird" stamp won the Best Consecutive Stamp Award at the 13th Intergovernmental Stamp Stamp Printers Conference, which is the first and only time china has won this award so far, filling a gap in the international awards, which is of far-reaching significance. In the face of the design proposition of "Chinese Birds" given by the State Post Bureau in 2008, Zeng Xiaolian finally decided to condense several birds from different regions in a virtual space in the form of small plates after repeated examination and thinking, interspersed with each other and each with its own place, creating a non-objective and real but seemingly natural and harmonious environment to enhance the appeal of stamps. Under this design idea, we can see the combination of the real living environment and the virtual environment on this stamp; see the bird group portraits in the form of "family"; and see the different postures of various birds acting in their own way and naturally and vividly.
Green Peacock sheetlets released in 2004. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
Together to protect the beauty that is about to disappear
Stamps can be said to be a very unfamiliar category for the new generation in the 21st century. With the rapid development of the Internet, e-mail has long replaced the role and status of traditional mail in human communication. The fast-paced life makes people more need to "whizz" the information that arrives, and the traditional "Hongyan Chuanshu" may become a complete history in the history of human communication. Stamps no longer carry their "paid for delivery" function, and we can only appreciate these unique histories and cultures through the sharing of collectors.
Antigua and Barbuda issued the Endangered Species stamp on 5 April 1993. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
Also facing disappearance are the animals on the stamps. Many of the stamps on display include a variety of extinct birds (e.g. dodo, Cuban red parrot, passenger pigeon, moa, great auk, etc.) as well as endangered species (e.g. Saint Lucia Parrot, Bermuda Round-tailed Stork, Solid Color Pigeon, St. Vincent Parrot, Puerto Rican Parrot, etc.).
Cuba released Extinct Birds on 28 August 1974. In order: dodo, Cuban red parrot, passenger pigeon, moa, great auk. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
Once upon a time, they were also the masters of this earth, perhaps because of the natural elimination of species evolution, perhaps because of environmental destruction or human intervention, some of them have completely withdrawn from the stage of history, and some have only a small number and face a severe living environment. When people can only appreciate the beautiful and unique posture of these species in this small square inch, the impact on the depths of the soul is the "medicine primer" that arouses people's awareness of biodiversity conservation.
Jin Fei leopard introduced the exhibits to the guests. Picture courtesy of the Secret Hundred Horses
Jin Fei Leopard is always good at using things that are deeply loved by people, telling touching stories behind them, and passing on the emotions and spirits that should be seen by people. This "Phoenix Plume South Present" bird science exhibition, through the use of stamps as a special way to show biodiversity, is to arouse people's attention to birds, spontaneously to protect birds.
The conservation of biodiversity is a common will of all Parties
Stamps have been associated with information transmission since ancient times, and it is a coincidence that this set of "the world's most complete bird stamps" includes bird stamps issued by all 196 parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (of which the European Union has not issued stamps) ! This may seem like a fortuitous "coincidence", but it is actually a "collision of hearts" of common concern.
It can be said that wherever there are signs of life on the earth, there are birds, and the choice of birds for the living environment also explains the environmental conditions of the selected areas to a certain extent. The stamp collection, which began with a passion and love for birds, ended up conveying the message that 196 Parties were all paying attention to the "environmental weathervane" – birds. Parties, including China, have long noted the importance of protecting birds and protecting biodiversity, the birds, which are most closely linked to human survival.
Teacher Zeng Xiaolian is on the exhibition
The free exhibition, which is open to the public, has lifted the threshold of all utilitarian benefits, fully demonstrating that China's Yunnan, as the host of the COP15 Conference, has long opened its arms and warmly welcomed all sectors of society and parties to the conference. These stamps can be regarded as "messengers" sent in advance by Parties, representing 196 Parties, and "calling" for the grand ceremony of the General Assembly. It is not difficult to imagine that when the COP15 Conference arrives, the representatives of various countries can see the pride and joy of this stamp from their hometowns in Yunnan, China, which is far away from the mountains and rivers, which will be the best gift we can give to the guests of 196 Parties. (Zhang Wenjuan)