Special  377 Stories From Popular Novels Since the Ming Dynasty "Journey to the West" Postage Stamps

Stamp SN D377
Stamp Name Special  377 Stories From Popular Novels Since the Ming Dynasty "Journey to the West" Postage Stamps
Stamp Cat Standard Special Stamps
Stamp Cat Literature, Literature
Issue date 1997-09-24
Suspersion date
Dimension of stamps(mm.)
Size of souvenir Sheet (mm.)
Printer Helio Courvoisier S.A., Switzerland
Drawer
Designer Rolland Chang
Photographer
Engraver
Creative Director
Sheet composition 20 (4 X 5)
Print color
Process Photogravure
Paper
Back
Perforation 11 1/2 X 11 3/4

Description



     This Directorate has been using over the years Chinese classical literature as subject matter for series of stamps, teaching the population learn more about its classical literature and exposing the international communities to the vast richness of Chinese culture. The design of this current set of stamps depicts four significant plots from the novel ``Journey To The West',, whose first publication in China was in the Ming Dynasty and has since enjoyed unremitting popularity. They are "The Palm of Buddha,." "The Pilgrimage of Tang Monk," "The Flaming Mountain" and "The Cobweb Cave". These stamps are denomindted NTS3.50, NT$3.50, NT$5.00, and NT$20.00. Wu Huang-i, professor at the National Taiwan University, was invited to make plan for the stamp design, and the design was drawn by Rolland Chang and reviewed by Chang Ching-erh, professor at the National Taiwan University.
    The popularity of the "Journey To The West" makes its characters well-known to most Chinese. The novel, composed of 10O chapters, is divided into 3 major sections, the first dealing with the birth and growth of Sun Wu-kung, the second, with Buddha's motivation of imparting the scriptures, and the third, with the westward pilgrimage. The story is presented in episode form. each with climaxes coming one after another, expressing unparalleled wit and thought-provoking humor. "Palm of Buddha," depicts the consequences in the wake of Sun's insolent behavior in the heavenly palace, "The pilgrimage of T'ang Monk" depicts the procession on the way to the West for Buddhist scriptures, Both "The Flaming Mountain" and "The Cobweb Cave" depict the insidious hazards and tremendous difficulties during the journey to the West.