Stamp collecting can be whatever you want it to be. There’s discovery and beauty, humanity and history—pretty much everything. Share the journey with me and stay in touch.
Chinese New Year Woodblock Prints (People’s Republic of China)
From 2003–2011, China Post marked each Lunar New Year by issuing a set of Special Stamps featuring Nianhua (New Year Woodblock Prints).
Woodblock printing as a technique for reproducing text, images and patterns originated in China in ancient times and was widely used throughout East Asia as a method of printing on textiles and later paper. Chinese printers used woodblocks to reproduce text centuries before the technique first appeared in Europe.
Woodblock printing was first utilized to reproduce Buddhist religious texts. It was common to commission the printing and distribution of religious texts in return for blessings. The earliest existing samples of this kind of woodblock printing date from the seventh and eighth century. And the earliest existing printed book is the Diamond Sutra 
of 868 (left). That book, in the form of a scroll nearly 20 feet (six meters) long, consists of a pictorial frontispiece followed by the text of the sutra. At the end of the sutra, the colophon reads: “Reverently made for universal free distribution by Wang Jie on behalf of his parents on the 15th day of the 4th moon of the 9th year of Xiantong (11 May 868).”1 The quality of printing of both the calligraphy and frontispiece shows that exceptional mastery of the printing process had been achieved in China by the ninth century.
Thus far the woodblock printing referred to was single color (black ink) printing. Multicolor work developed later. In China the first known example is a Diamond Sutra of 1341 printed in black and red at the Zifu Temple in modern day Hubei Province.2
Creating woodblock prints is a multi-step process: creating the initial drawing, splitting the block/s, engraving the block/s, printing each color separately, and sometimes additional detail is added by painting. Historically, rubbing was the most common method of transferring the inked image to paper in Eastern woodblock printing. The block was placed face side up on a flat surface with the paper or fabric laid on top of the inked block, and the back of the paper was rubbed with a burnisher. A separate block was cut and printed for each color. It is only in relatively recent times that presses have been used.
In East Asia, woodblock printing proved to be more enduring than in Europe, continuing well into the 19th century as the major form of printing texts, especially in China, even after the introduction of the European printing press.
Themes
Nianhua were a form of multicolor Chinese woodblock prints featuring decorative imagery related to the Chinese New Year. It was common practice in Chinese homes to replace old New Year prints with new ones on the eve of Spring Festival, the most important in China. The intent was to give blessings to family and friends
for the upcoming year. The earliest extant specimen of a New Year print dates from the twelfth century, but the ephemeral nature of the prints resulted in relatively few surviving from before the late Ming (1368–1644) and early Qing (1644–1911) dynasties.
The themes of the prints, such as blessing, harvest, peace, popular opera and the protective door god (right) were produced in endless variety and often very large quantity–the intent being to bring good fortune and to avoid bad luck and evil spirits. Subjects were often adapted from historic stories and opera costumes.
Printing Centers and Styles
Stamp sets and souvenir sheets from the first five years in this series (2003–2007) represent China’s original five major New Year Woodblock Print production centers: Yangliuqing, Taohuawu, Yangjiabu, Wuqiang, and Mianzhu. Many other printing centers followed these original sites, and millions of prints were eventually produced and sold throughout China and beyond.
Following is a brief description of the woodblock print styles highlighted by the annual Chinese stamp issues:
2003 — Yangliuqing New Year Woodblock Prints (Northern China) originated during the late Ming Dynasty in Yangliuqing, a market town west of Tianjin. These prints generally have joyful themes and often convey blessings and happiness. Their balanced composition and vivid colors contributed to their popularity. Over time the printing process was often supplemented with hand painted highlights, skillfully blending the two techniques. The stamp shown here was issued in 2003 (one of a set of four) and its theme is “The Wealth in Jade Hall.”
2004 — Taohuawu New Year Woodblock Prints originated in Jiangsu Province during the late Ming Dynasty. Taohuawu was one of the most widespread folk New Year picture schools in southern China. In its early stage, this style featured ladies, landscapes and flowers, usually in a traditional composition with a graceful style. Later, the subject matter included images of people’s daily life and work. Most of the pictures expressed wishes for good fortune, or showed opera stories, current events and customs. The pictures were decorative, and popular for their use of exaggeration, bright colors, and rich and lively content. The stamp shown here, issued in 2004, is one of a set of four and features Liu Hai Playing with a Golden Toad.
2005 — Yangjiabu New Year Woodblock Prints originated in Yangjiabu Village, northeast of Weifang, Shandong Province at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Almost all households in the village were eventually engaged in woodblock print production. These prints were mainly produced in red, green, yellow and purple. Yangjiabu images combine the lively and simple style of northern art and the elegance of southern art. Their subject range varies widely: from images of immortals to flowers, and from birds and operas to the everyday life of the people. The prints have been popular among the Chinese for over 400 years because of their unaffected portraits, festive colors, local flavor, and meaningful messages. The stamp shown here is one of a set of four and conveys a wish for Good News on New Year’s Day.
2006 — Wuqiang New Year Woodblock Prints were first produced in Wuqiang County, Hebei Province during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and reached their zenith during the reigns of Emperors Qianlong (1736–1796) and Jiaqing (1796–1821) of the Qing Dynasty. Wuqiang Woodcut New Year Prints have bright colors, bold lines, sophisticated composition and strong country atmosphere and folk hues. Their source materials come from traditional Chinese dramas, historical legends and storybooks popular among the people in Hebei Province. Wuqiang New Year Woodcuts inherited Chinese traditional carving and printing techniques. Lines are vigorous and neat. The style of color used with the black and white designs give the pictures a succinct and antique look. These woodcuts usually portray the front of characters, focusing on their head and eyes. They are true to life. The stamp shown here is one of a set of four and features a Lion Rolling an Embroidered Ball.
In 1992, China’s first museum of New Year pictures was set up in Wuqiang County. In December 1993, the Ministry of Culture officially designated Wuqiang as “home to folk New Year woodcuts.” In 2006, New Year Woodcuts of Wuqiang, and that of Tianjin’s Yangliuqing, Shandong’s Weifang, Jiangsu’s Taohuawu and Sichuan’s Mianzhu were listed in the first group of national non-material cultural heritages.
2007 — Mianzhu Woodblock New Year Prints were originally produced in Mianzhu, Sichuan Province. The style became popular during the late Qing Dynasty. The prints sold well in northwest and southwest China, India, Japan, and other southeast nations. The topics in Mianzhu Woodblock Prints are diverse, including figures and characters from Chinese mythology and fairytales, local cultures and customs, opera and drama, and historic figures. The imagery is generally well designed and polished, but the figures are purposely depicted in disproportionate sizes to emphasize the artist’s message. The lines are usually simple, but classic and elegant, and colors are bright and upbeat. The stamp shown here features Zhang Xian She Gou, and is one of a set of four.
2008 — Zhuxian Town, near Kaifeng, Henan Province, began production of New Year Woodblock Prints during the Tang Dynasty (618–907) and reached its prime in the middle of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). These pictures exhibit succinct and refined engraving skills, a simple and bold style, and well-rounded composition. The multi-color block printing, dominated by warm hues, features intense artistic contrast between red and brown, and yellow and purple. Zhuxian Town’s woodblocks are representative of the folk art in the Central Plains. The stamp featured here is one of a set of four and is a representation of the Gate Guardian.
2009 — Zhangzhou Woodblock New Year Prints originated during the Ming Dynasty, became popular in the Qing Dynasty, and sales peaked at the early 1900s. Zhangzhou Prints were mainly sold in the southern regions of Fujian and in Taiwan, Hong Kong, southeast Asian nations, and Japan. The overall design of these prints is clean and simple with broad strokes while maintaining fine detail. The figures are exaggerated. The drawing lines are old-fashioned and forceful, often supported with bright red color in the background. Their unique style and strong bright colors make these prints easily recognizable. The stamp illustrated here shows a Lion Holding a Sword in Its Mouth and is one of a set of four.
2010 — Lianping Woodblock New Year Prints were originally produced in Lianping, Chongqiang Province. Woodblock prints are one of three unique art forms produced in Lianping; the other two are bamboo screens and artistic (opera) lanterns. The woodblock prints use romantic expression to achieve artistic goals. The styles and forms are traditional, but lively. Designs are solid, but simple. Figures are exaggerated and disproportionate, and colors are contrasting and intense. Shown here is one of a set of four stamps, and illustrates Exiting the Pass with a Stolen Token.
2011 — Fengxiang New Year Woodblock Prints are representative of the style of the Northwestern region of China. They are named after their original production site, Fengxiang, Shaanxi Province. They originated during the Ming Dynasty and became very popular during the Qing Dynasty. The topics of these prints are diverse, and the formats varied. Colors are vivid, and figures and shapes are not in proportion, but are exaggerated for emphasis. The stamp shown here illustrates Fortune Flower Vase and is one of a set of four.
Conclusion
Nianhua is only one kind of Chinese Woodblock Printing. The Chinese stamps honoring that tradition are an invitation to further explore the deep and rich tradition of Chinese Woodblock Printing as a whole. Information about the history of Chinese printing is readily available—so enjoy.
Footnotes:
1. The British Museum Book of Chinese Art, p121.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodblock_printing
References:
Text from the annual souvenir stamp sheets.
Clunas, Craig, Art in China (Second Edition), ©2009, Oxford University Press Inc., New York.
Shubao, Luo, A Concise Illustrated History of Chinese Printing, ©2011, Homa & Sekey Books, Paramus NJ.
The British Museum Book of Chinese Art, Edited by Jessica Rawson. c1992, ©Thames and Hudson Inc, NY.
Thanks to:
Dr. Yulong Chen for help with translating Chinese and explaining Chinese tradition.
Dr. James A. Flath for knowledge of Chinese New Year Woodblock prints. His website http://history.uwo.ca/nianhua/ is recommended.
I barely scratched the surface of the knowledge of these men. And any mistakes I’ve made in presenting this topic are my own. Feedback is welcome using the Comment link below.
This post is an adaptation of an article I wrote for the January 2015 issue of Philateli-Graphics, the journal of the Graphics Philately Association.
Four Seasons…De Novo! (Faroe Islands)
The Four Seasons have been depicted on stamps many times and many ways. That this aspect of nature has been presented on stamps in stunning, imaginative and sometimes provocative ways intrigues me. I’ve written about some of those visual approaches previously: “Three Views of Four Seasons (China, Germany, Liechtenstein”) and “The Four Seasons in Antarctica! (Ross Dependency)”.
On June 24, 2024 the Faroe Islands released four beautiful stamps in sheet format with lovely floral borders illustrated by artist Heiðrik á Heygum (above). The same motifs had been used the previous year by Posta (below), becoming the first Nordic postal service to issue NFT stamps (more about NFT stamps another time), but the QR codes somewhat obscured the illustrations.
Heiðrik á Heygum had this to say about his artwork: “The Faroese Post Office approached me with an intriguing task: to design stamps that capture the essence of our four distinct seasons. Eager to celebrate our unique cultural identity, I drew inspiration from the intricate floral embroidery found in our traditional Faroese outfits. Incorporating signature flowers and seasonal animals into the designs, I aimed to create stamps that truly reflect the spirit of the Faroe Islands.
“Opting for a black background was a deliberate choice, echoing the traditional Faroese national costume, often adorned with flowers against a dark backdrop. This decision not only pays homage to our heritage but also serves to accentuate the vibrant colors of the flowers, creating a visually striking composition that embodies the traditional Faroese aesthetic.
“Each season in the Faroe Islands is marked by the presence of specific animals, further enriching the symbolism of the stamps. Spring welcomes the birth of lambs and the return of our national bird, the oystercatcher. Summer sees the return of the Atlantic puffin and northern gannet to our shores. In autumn, sheep are slaughtered, and we hunt for the northern fulmar. Finally, winter brings the transformation of the Faroese hare’s fur to white and the tradition of rearing geese for Christmas.
“These seasonal nuances add depth and richness to the narrative depicted in the stamp designs, offering a profound connection to our island’s natural rhythms and traditions.”
Our Collections Held In Trust (Berlin)
It’s not often I purchase stamps these days. My lifetime’s accumulation now needs order and care. Last week, however, I received a collection of Berlin stamps I had ordered. (The habit of accumulation seems to persist!) Being interested in German stamps, the description of the collection seemed as if it would complement the rather sparse Berlin representation in my German album.
As I began to transfer stamps from the pages of the purchased lot to my own album (above) I was reminded that our collections are held by us in trust. Much of what I treasure passed through many hands before coming to me just as the Berlin collection had. And our collections will likely pass out of our possession at some point. As temporary custodian I want to care for these philatelic collectibles as best I can.
Berlin’s postage stamp history was brief but interesting. With Soviet occupation, Berlin was divided into West and East. In 1945, the Soviets issued the first occupation stamps for Berlin (above) featuring the “Berlin Bear.” They were valid in Berlin and Brandenburg. 
In 1948, West Berlin began issuing stamps by overprinting “BERLIN” on the stamps of West Germany (left). Later Berlin stamps were labeled Deutsche Bundespost Berlin (DBB). West Berlin stamps were often similar to West German stamps as illustrated by the side-by-side stamps (left) honoring
Heinrich Lübke (1894-1972) (DB on left / DBB on right) and could be used in both places. Lübke was President of West Germany from 1959-1969. With the reunification of Germany in 1990, the DBB became part of the Deutsche Bundespost. The last stamps issued by the DBB, two sets of three, were released on September 27, 1990. The 60pf Adolph Diesterweg (1790-1866), Educator stamp (below left) was from the regular issue set and the 60+30pf Railway Mail Car stamp (below right) was from the semi-postal set. After 1990, German stamps include the name “Deutschland” and were valid throughout the country.
Winter Relief (Ireland)
Today at 4:20a.m. Eastern Time (U.S.) Winter arrived. You may have been asleep like me. And since it’s Saturday you may have stayed bed later than usual. Problem is: when you finally got out of bed did it seem like the sun was already setting? Winter cold! Short days! Here’s a little philatelic “pick me up.”
Issued by An Post, the Irish postal service, for the World Flower Show held in Dublin in June of 2014. For pictures of the Show:
https://www.irishtimes.com/world-flower-show-2014-at-rds-1.1839535
The Leaf, the Mask, and Halloween (USA, Slovenia)
The Autumn leaves are beyond their colorful peak in the Mid-Atlantic. This shriveled, half-decayed caught my eye today. I find it beautiful in a late Autumn way, and I photographed it. Contrast it with the costumed people I’ve seen today: Witches, Vampires, and plenty of masks.
The U.S. has celebrated 
Halloween with a variety of stamps. Perhaps the earliest was the 10-cent Legend of Sleepy Hallow stamp from 1974. And my favorite mask stamp is actually the Smiling Carved Pumpkin from 2016. I prefer smiles!
Previously I’ve written about the extraordinary Mask Tradition of Slovenia. These aren’t Halloween masks but are created for the annual Carnival festivals which end on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, which begins the Christian season of Lent. And much the same as Halloween traces its roots to ancient traditions, the Slovenia Carnival traditions of masks and costumes have ancient origins as well. Warding off evil spirits and bringing good fortune are chief among the historic purposes of the costumes. And though not meant for Halloween, there’s nothing like a good scare!
Cats (USA, Spain, Great Britain)
Our cat and companion Beck (left) was put to sleep last week. He shared our home for 16 years. Beck would sit next to you and lay next to you and was a great comfort. Often he would meow and turn his head to look at me as he was heading into the bedroom. I knew he wanted me to lay down on the bed. He would then jump up on the bed, circle about three times at my side and lay down next to me. We often dozed off together—comforting for us both. I miss him.
I’ve been thinking of other cats who have shared my life, Wolsey being the first. He could leap vertically six feet and grab a shaking stick. And then there was Lance, found on the street on a snowy New Year’s Eve. And Fluffy, our kids’ favorite. Oddly, I never wanted for a cat. The children had wanted cats, and my wife too. Other cats simply found me and agreed to share a life. I’ve been enriched by each one.
There have been hundreds of cats featured on stamps. I don’t collect cat stamps, but with Beck’s passing I began to look at some of those stamps. Here are a few I was drawn to: 
The gray Burmese shown on the 22-cent U.S. stamp of 1988 (along with the Maine Coon) looks just like Beck: gray fur, piercing yellow eyes. That stamp was one of a set of four, each featuring a pair of cats of different breeds. A Maine Coon lived next door and would wander our neighbors’ back yard (and ours), but would always return home when called. Beck, on the other hand, shot out our door a few times. I chased after him and couldn’t find him, but he lay outside our door the next morning. We became more vigilant when he was nearing an open door, and when we moved to an apartment he showed little interest in leaving.
The 1930 airmail stamp from Spain shown here, one of a set of eight airmail stamps honoring pioneering aviators, is the first instance of a cat appearing on a postage stamp. and his cat Patsy is shown at the bottom right of the stamp. This stamp honored Charles Lindbergh. The eight stamps promoted the Ibero-American Exhibition (Exposição Ibero-Americana de 1929) which took place in the Spanish city of Seville. It opened on 9 May 1929
and closed on 21 June 1930. The purpose of the exposition was to improve relations between Spain and the countries in attendance, all of which have historical ties with Spain. The exposition was smaller in scale than the International Exposition held concurrently in Barcelona from May 1929 to January 1930. Patsy was a frequent passenger on Lindbergh’s flights and could often be found curled up on his plane’s tail in the hangar (right). When asked why Patsy didn’t join him for the famed trans-Atlantic flight. Lindbergh said, “It’s too dangerous a journey to risk the cat’s life.”
In 2022 Great Britain issued a sheet of 20 stamps featuring cats. 18 of the stamps show different cat images. Two of the stamps are duplicated on the sheet—why, I don’t know. I think those of you with cats can identify with many of the poses. 
It was that s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g cat on the £2.55 stamp that initially drew my attention. Beck liked a good stretch.
To learn more about cats on stamps check out the “Cats On Stamps” Study Unit of the American Topical Association.
Getting “Round To It!” (Israel)
Oftentimes I have trouble getting around to doing a particular task. Overcommitted? Weak organization? Confused priorities? Who knows.
Creating a new post with some regularity for this website is often one of those “getting around to it” challenges. But instead of fretting I decided to give myself a refreshing “break” much like I took with a February 2019 post. And I mixed in a bit of a “lift” too as I did with a December 2018 post. So I spent some time appreciating the sheet of four stamps pictured here that feature children’s artwork, one of my favorite art genres. I feel refreshed just looking at those dolphins leaping out of the water on the stamp at the left side of the sheet. And how about that happy pigtailed vet examining the little puzzled-looking dog on the 2.50s stamp. (I’d like to meet that dog.) Do you feel like you could jump on the back of the big black cat in the 1.40s stamp and take ride? I do, and I think this is my favorite of the four stamps. But I said I could use a “break” and a “lift”, and a balloon ride would do just that.
This sheet of stamps was issued by Israel to celebrate the International Stamp Show (PHILA NIPPON ‘01) held in Japan in the summer of 2001.
The Great Sailboat Regatta (Lithuania)
On June 14, 2024, Lithuanian Post issued the “Lithuanian Great Sailboat Regatta” postage stamp designed by Natalija Vaišnorienė (about whom I wish I knew more). Its design and artwork are a true delight. The vertically exaggerated sailboats integrate so well with a fantasy of color strips behind them that I hear music in the color harmony.
This year Klaipėda, Lithuania was the starting port of “The Tall Ships Races.” Klaipėda is a port city in Lithuania, where the Baltic Sea meets the Danė River, and is a city full of maritime culture—a most appropriate place to begin the race.
Have You Ever Seen a Flockdown Bird?
During the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, people found different ways of coping. Berni Martin, who spends a lot of time crafting as well as taking photographs, also spends time watching birds outside the window of her first floor apartment on the British Island of Jersey. The birds are attracted to the feeders she hangs on the tree
outside that window. To help cope with the Covid lockdown Berni decided to paint a bird for 100 consecutive days. She numbered each bird painting and posted them on social media.
Jersey Post took notice and eight of Berni’s birds became stamps and went on sale March 1, 2021. “I was over the moon
that they are now stamps,” Bernie said. “And I hope they make people smile and encourage people to send a postcard or letter to a loved one. It’s such a joy to receive a handwritten note in the post.”
Of her COVID painting project Berni commented, “It just kind of evolved as it went along. I love birds and they’re
quite quick to paint. As I was doing one every day, I needed something easy to commit to. They all have personalities of their own and mostly they reflected the mood on the day they were painted…happy, sad, colorful, crazy, fat, sleepy, flyaway! It was so quiet in the first lockdown and the weather was so lovely, we had an abundance of birdy visitors outside our windows…
they were the perfect subject. I had no idea when I created the birds that they would one day be featured on Jersey stamps, it was just a project I set myself and people seemed to enjoy them on social media so I kept it going. I think not knowing they would be stamps one day was good, there was no pressure to try and make them perfect. The original paintings have splashes of paint and some little imperfections here and there.”
Andy Goldsworthy’s Springtime
In 1995, Great Britain issued five visually amazing stamps (above) themed ‘Springtime’ and designed by Andy Goldsworthy. He is a British Sculpture who lives in Scotland. His work consists of natural materials, hence it changes and decays during its lifespan, and he has traveled widely to make sculptures in particular environments.
The 1995 stamps were created as follows:
19p — Dandelions collected on the way to work. Laid around a carefully made hole.
25p -– Sweet Chestnut leaves. Held with thorns.
30p — Garlic leaves creased, folded, bent. Held to the ground with thorns
35p -– Hazel leaves. Two greens.
41p -– Spring grass, fresh green blades, white stems. Laid around a hole
About his work, Goldsworthy says, “The work that I do with my hands, with thorns and leaves and snow that doesn’t last very long, is the heart of what I do. That’s the source from which I draw all the other aspects of my art.”
And he explains further, “When I’m working with materials it’s not just the leaf or the stone, it’s the processes that are behind them that are important. That’s what I’m trying to understand. Not a single isolated subject but nature as a whole—how the leaf has grown, how it has changed, how it has decayed, how the weather’s affected it. By working with a leaf in its place I begin to understand the processes.”