To promote understanding of the beauty of classical Chinese literature, Chunghwa Post has followed up on issues of “Classical Chinese Poetry Postage Stamps” in 2018 and 2019 with a new set of four stamps featuring poems in lines of five or seven characters describing what were traditionally regarded as the four most noble flowers: “Plum Blossoms” by Wang Anshi, “Orchid River” by Du Mu, “New Bamboo” by Zheng Banqiao, and “Chrysanthemums” by Yuan Zhen. The stamps and the poems featured on them follow:
1. “Plum Blossoms” by Wang Anshi (NT$8): “Plum branches in the far corner / Flower alone amid the cold / With their sweet fragrance airborne / There is no mistaking the blooms for snow.”
2. “Orchid River” by Du Mu (NT$8): “At spring’s end Orchid River is magnificently green / Orchids blooming sweetly after plentiful rains / The Chu minister looked wan and haggard / Taking this route to the Xiangjiang River.”
3. “New Bamboo” by Zheng Banqiao (NT$12): “The new bamboo rises over the old / But relies on it for support / Next year new shoots will appear / Rising ten feet around the official’s pond.”
4. “Chrysanthemums” by Yuan Zhen (NT$15): “In fall, the bushes encircle the house, like at Tao’s / Walking its fence, I linger as the sun sets / I hold no special love for Chrysanthemums over other flowers / But no blooms will follow these after they wilt.”

A pictorial has been also released along with the stamps. The pictorial contains 12 stamps of this series interspersed with painting held in the National Palace Museum for the readers to realize the poetry. Beautifully designed and elegant, it’s worth collecting.

The further information about this issue is as follows:
1.First day of issue: October 14, 2020
2.Sheet composition: 18
3.Paper used: Phosphorescent stamp paper
4.Drawer: Shen Cheen
5.Designer: Delta Design Corporation
6.Printer: China Color Printing Co., Ltd.
7.Stamp size: 30 × 50 (mm)
8.Color: Colorful
9.Process: Offset
10.Perforation: 12½ × 13

By-issues:
(1) First Day Cover in large size (214 mm × 152 mm): NT$3 apiece
(2) Folder (with or without mount): NT$8 apiece
(3) Loose-leaf album page: NT$8 apiece
(4) Maximum cards: NT$40 a set
(5) Pre-cancelled FDC affixed with one NT$8-denominated stamp: NT$11 apiece
(6) Pre-cancelled FDC affixed with a full set of stamps: NT$46 apiece
(7) Stamp pictorial: NT$400 a copy

To purchase the relative philatelic products, please go directly to the post office branches, Postal Museum or order on line at https://stamp.post.gov.tw.