Solar term stamps released on lichun – Beginning of Spring
The new series of stamps.
A new series of stamps featuring the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar was issued in the city on Sunday.
It marked the first solar term lichun, or the Beginning of Spring.
China's "24 Solar Terms" was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) in 2016.
In order to promote Chinese traditional culture, the Shanghai Sailing Post Office, which is located on the North Bund, released a series of products, including the 24 colored postage stamps.
A stamp collector shows the new stamp of lichun on a special envelope.
Stamp collectors gathered at the post office in the early morning to postmark the newly released postage stamps on a special envelope bearing the words of 24 solar terms along with images of 24 Chinese plants and herbs. This is line with different terms to promote Chinese culture and its special meaning in each solar term.
The herb on the stamp of lichun is dandelion, which is bitter and has a heat clearing and detoxicating effect. In spring, people are likely to suffer respiratory disease, and Chinese herbal soup consisting of dandelion can be useful.
Each of the postage stamps bears a QR code, a fine image of a plant or herb as well as postage information of the stamp.
People can read the stories of the solar term and the herb on the stamp by scanning the code.
Different colors are used in different seasons. The six solar terms in spring are green, the six in summer is red, the six in autumn is orange and the six in winter is blue.
"Lichun is the start of the solar terms," said Wang Yiqi, honorary director of the post office.
"Li means the beginning and chun means spring, warmth and growth. We want to use this set of colorful stamp to respect and promote Chinese culture."
The lichun stamp with dandelion.
