China — Stamps & Postal Service

Postal Service Overview

China Post (中国邮政) is the People’s Republic of China’s national postal operator. China’s philatelic history is among the world’s most complex and historically significant, spanning the Imperial Qing Dynasty (1878–1911), the Republic of China (1912–1949), and the People’s Republic (1949–present). Each period represents a distinct collecting area. PRC stamps document one of history’s most dramatic social and political transformations, from the 1949 revolution through the Cultural Revolution, economic reforms, and China’s emergence as a global power.

Notable Stamp Issues

China’s first stamps in 1878 — the Large Dragon (大龙) stamps in three denominations — are classic Asian rarities. The Small Dragon (小龙) and Carp (鲤鱼) issues followed. The Republic era (1912–1949) produced many beautiful stamps including the Junk definitives and Dr Sun Yat-sen portraits. PRC’s first stamps in 1949 featured the Gate of Heavenly Peace. The 1967–1970 Cultural Revolution stamps are philately’s most politically extreme documents — anti-revisionist propaganda printed in vivid colours. Chinese New Year zodiac stamps, issued since 1950, are the world’s most collected annual stamp series.

Collecting Tips

Scott Asia catalogue and the Yang Catalogue are the standard references for PRC stamps. Cultural Revolution stamps (1967–1970) require careful authentication — many reprints and forgeries exist. Chinese New Year stamps from 1950–present form a popular 12-year-cycle collecting area. T-series and J-series stamps from the 1970s–1990s are the core PRC specialist area. Taiwan (Republic of China) stamps are collected separately. Hong Kong SAR stamps bridge the colonial and Chinese periods.

Part of the Asia Postal Directory.