In order to promote the beauty of Chinese culture, Chunghwa Post has selected four Han dynasty carved jades from the National Palace Museum's collection for a set of four stamps. The museum that is situated in Taipei hosts one of the world's largest collections of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks, which consists of more than 696,000 items. This is the second Jade Articles stamp issue; the first one was released on July 5, 2019.
The first stamp shows Jade Hornless Dragons Cup, Qing dynasty. This artifact is made from white jade, it features two hornless dragons drinking water, which serve as cup handles. Furthermore, the dragons have been subjected to a yellow dye to give them a more ancient look. The second item features Jade Bottle with Phoenixes, Qing dynasty. It is simple and elegant and made of pale green jade.
The third stamp depicts Jade Goblet, Han dynasty. This jade was originally a plain looking tube 4,000 years ago, and during the Han dynasty 2,000 years ago, it was altered to achieve its current appearance, with a bottom added so that it could serve as a container. The fourth item shows Jade Square Four-legged Cauldron, Qing dynasty. Of finely carved pale green jade, the shape and ornamentation of this work reference those of bronze cauldrons from the early Western Zhou dynasty.
See also other stamps on ancient artifacts.
