Written by: Aiman Javed
Posted on: June 28, 2018 | 
| 中文
Two monkey zodiac stamps (2016) and a rooster stamp (2017)
On Monday, 25th June the China Cultural Centre, in collaboration with Network of International Cultural Entities (NICE), arranged the exhibition ‘China in Stamps: Exhibition of Chinese Philatelic Culture and Creative Products’ at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Islamabad. The guest of honour at the occasion was Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting H.E Syed Ali Zafar Shah and Ms. Khalida Gulnar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Postal Services. Through her keynote speech, Khalida Gulnar reminisced about collecting stamps as a child, while Ali Zafar Shah shared his experiences of Chinese friendship.
The first Chinese stamps were issued by the Shanghai Municipal Council, for use by local merchants, during the Qing Dynasty in 1865. By 1878, the first stamps inscribed with the word ‘CHINA’ were made available to the public. The display, which showcases a wide range of stamps, focuses on seven themes. Within ‘Ancient Sages,’ stamps feature historical figures like Zhang Qian (164 – 114 BC), a diplomat and traveler of the Silk Road. ‘Calligraphy’ stamps showcase the five styles of Chinese writing: cursive, grass, seal, official and regular. ‘Ancient Paintings’ such as Dwelling in the Fucham Mountains and Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk can also be found, while ‘World Heritage Sites’ such as the Palace Museum, and ‘Intangible heritage’ such as Chinese Paper Cutting have also been depicted. Whether it’s scenes from ‘Classical Novels’ like Journey to the West, or traditional utensils, Chinese stamps seem to have covered every aspect of Chinese culture.
‘Chinese Zodiac’ stamps, considered classics among philatelists, have been issued four times in 12 year cycles; from 1980-1991, 1992-2003, 2004-2015, and 2016 onwards. Launched at the beginning of every year, each stamp represents one of the twelve zodiac animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog or pig. The ongoing series of stamps is meant to celebrate the first zodiac set, by involving artists and designers from the 1980-1991 cycle.
The dominant part of the exhibition showcased products such as tea sets, cushion covers, pen holders, key chains, phone covers, diaries, magnets, clocks and wall hangings featuring the same ancient and modern stamp designs. These have come about as a result of China Post’s collaboration with different art and design institutes over the years, in an attempt to give postage stamps a modern twist and educate the public about their rich history.
To make the event interactive, a stall had been set up with a variety of premade wooden and rubber stamps, which could be dipped in ink and stamped onto empty sheets. This particularly captured the attention of children, who could be seen happily occupied throughout the event.
Pakistan Post had established their own counter to one side, for displaying commemorative postage stamps issued over the years. Having set up a typical red post box and a box of seals, they also sold collections of their stamps and envelopes. Positively received by the visitors in particular were stamps commemorating the humanitarian Dr Ruth Pfau and renowned singer Madam Noor Jehan.
The event was a delightful addition to the growing cultural tapestry of Pakistan. Here is to hoping Pakistan Post will also come up with public events on philatelic culture, since stamp collecting continues to a part of many local enthusiasts’ lives.
This exhibition will remain open to the public till the end of July 2018.
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