Friday 24 May 2013

T16 -- Live-line Operations

Live-line Operations is the maintenance of electrical equipment, often operating at high voltage, while the equipment is energized.  Maintenance on high voltage power lines is necessary to guarantee the continuous electricity supply to the industrial and agricultural sector.  Many people, men and women, have worked as live-lines operations in the country and deployed into the cities, country sides and villages, etc, to maintain the high voltage power lines.

On September 15, 1976, a set of four stamps depicting activities of Live-line Operations was issued.


(4-1) 8 fen, Moving, checking and replacing Shock-proof Hammer  移动检换防震锤
(4-2) 8 fen, Replacing the Straight Line Insulator  更换直线绝缘子
(4-3) 8 fen, Mechanical repair of Ground Lead  机械检修导地线
(4-4) 8 fen, Inspection and repair of Transformer Oil Switch  检修变电油开关

(4-1)【Moving, checking and replacing Shockproof Hammer】Maintenance of high voltage engerized electrical transmission power line is a highly dangerous operation, it is even more dangerous with the added element of working at height.  Shockproof Hammers are hung on power transmission lines to absorb or reduce vibration energy.  Therefore, to ensure continuous power supply, it is necessary to check and replace damaged shockprrof hammers.  The stamp showed a women worker checking/replacing shockproof hammer on the transmission line, with a greenish mountainous background behind.

(4-2)【Replacing the Straight Line Insulator】Insulators must support the conductors and withstand both the normal operating voltage and surges due to switching and lightning.  The stamp showed two operators replacing the straight line insulator on the pylon.

(4-3)【Mechanical repair of Ground Lead】Overhead power lines are equipped with a ground lead (shield wire or overhead earth wire).  A ground lead is grounded (earthed) at the top of the supporting structure to minimize the likelihood of direct lightning strikes to the phase conductors.  The stamp showed an operator on a boom lift truck checking/ repairing the ground lead on top of the power transmission line.  Background of the stamp showed a rural village scene.  Golden colour indicating a bumper harvesting season.

(4-4)【Inspection and repair of Transformer Oil Switch】Transformer oil helps cool the transformer and also provides part of the electrical insulation between internal live components.  The stamp showed an operator inspecting/repairing the transformer oil switch.

T16 – Live-line Operations  带电作业
Issue Date: 1976.9.15
Serial Number:T16
Scott No.:1286-1289
Michel No.:1296-1299
Number of stamps in Set:4
Denomination:8 fen for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
Quantity of Issue:7,000,000 for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
Perforation:P11½
Sheet Composition:50 (10 X 5) for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
Size of stamps:31 X 38.5 mm
Designer:Wu Jiankun  吴建坤
Printing Process:Photogravure
Printing House:Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Saturday 18 May 2013

T15 -- Chinese Mountaineering Expedition Reascending Zhumulangma Feng

Located on the border of China and Nepal, Mt. Everest, height 8,848 m, is famous for being the highest peak in the world.  To Nepalese Mt. Everest is known as Sagarmatha (goddess of the Universe).  To the Tibetans it's known as Mt. Quomolongma or Chomolungma ("The Third Goddess" in Tibetan).  To the Chinese, it is known as Zhumulangma Feng (pinyin translation from Tibetan).

Mt. Everest is named after the British after Sir George Everest, a Welshman and the Surveyor General of the Great Trigonometric Survey of India and the man in charge of mapping India between 1830 and 1843.   However, Everest himself most likely never saw the mountain named after him.

On May 25, 1960, three young Chinese mountaineers, Wang Fu-chou (王富州), Kombu (贡布) and Chu Yin-hua (屈银华) reached the summit of Mt. Everest, accomplishing the task of conquering the world's highest peak from its difficult northern slopes for the first time in mankind's history.

On May 27, 1975, a mixed team of nine climbers, eight Tibetan and one Chinese, reached the summit from the northern slopes again.  Tibetan woman, Phantog (潘多) and eight men (索南罗布、罗则、候生福、桑珠、大平措、贡嘎巴桑、次仁多吉、阿布钦) created the new world record then for the largest mixed team that conquered Everest's summit.   Phantog became the first woman to reach the summit from the Tibetan side; and the second woman to summit Everest, losing this honor to Junko Tabei by only a few days.                 

To commemorate this achievement, a set of three stamps was issued on September 26, 1975.


(3-1) 43 fen, The majestic Zhumulangma Feng  美丽的珠穆朗瑪峰

(3-2) 8 fen, With a strong revolutionary will and bravery to climb the world 's highest peak     胸怀革命壮志勇攀世界高峰

(3-3) 8 fen, The five-star red flag again flying over the summit of the earth
                    五星红旗再次飘扬在地球之巅

(3-1)【The majestic Zhumulangma Feng】Mt Everest, height 8,848 m, is the highest mountain in the world.  The stamp showed the snow covered summit of Mt Everest in bright sunlight.

(3-2)【With a strong revolutionary will and bravery to climb the world 's highest peak】 With Mt Everest in the background, the stamp depicted the nine members of the 1975 Climbing Team.  The women in front is Phantog, the first woman to reach the summit from the Tibetan side.

(3-3)【The five-star red flag again flying over the summit of the earth】The mountain climbing team raised the China national flag on the summit of Mt Everest.  The team stayed on the top for as long as 70 minutes to complete some scientific research.

T15 – Chinese Mountaineering Expedition Reascending Zhumulangma Feng
           中国登山队再次登上珠穆朗瑪峰
Issue Date: 1975.9.26
Serial Number:T15
Scott No.:1239-1241
Michel No.:1249-1251
Number of stamps in Set:3
Denomination:43 fen for stamp 1
8 fen for stamp 2, 3.
Quantity of Issue:2,000,000 for stamp 1
10,000,000 for stamp 2, 3.
Perforation:P11 X 11½ for stamp 1, 3
P11½ X 11 for stamp 2
Sheet Composition:50 (5 X 10) for stamp 1, 3
50 (10 X 5) for stamp 2
Size of stamps:40 X 30 mm for stamp 1, 3
30 X 40 mm for stamp 2
Designer:Lu Tianjiao, Song Huimin  卢天骄, 宋惠民
Printing Process:Photogravure
Printing House:Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Sunday 12 May 2013

T14 - Children of New China

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the nation has attached much importance to the youth and the children, emphasising on their healthy growth and knowledge development, so that they can serve the country after they grow up.

On December 1, 1975, a set of five stamps depicting childen's lives was issued.


(5-1) 8 fen, Conferring a red scarf  授红领巾
(5-2) 8 fen, Writing children's song to the battle field  我写儿歌上战场
(5-3) 8 fen, Study well  好好学习
(5-4) 8 fen, We love labour  热爱劳动
(5-5) 52 fen, Physical training  体育锻炼

(5-1)【Conferring a red scarf】The Young Pioneers of China (中国少年先锋队) is a mass youth organization for children aged six to fourteen in People's Republic of China.  The red scarf is the only "uniform" item.  The investiture ceremony often consists of new members having their scarves tied for them by existing members.  The stamp shows an older member of Young Pioneers of China tying a red scarf for a new member.

(5-2)【Writing children's song to the battle field】This stamp showed the political climate at the time of the stamp issue.  The left side of the stamp depicts the cultural revolution movie shot for Pang Dongzi (潘冬子), an eight year old child who participated in the revolution war in the movie "Twinkle Twinkle Red Star"《闪闪的红星》.  The back of the stamp showed the bulletin "Writing children's song to the battlefield" (我写儿歌上战场).  During the Cultural Revolutionary era, the criticizing campaign (大批判活动) was also held among children.  A girl in the foreground of the stamp arranging bulletins criticizing Lin Biao and Confucius.  Because of this girl's action, this set (T14) was also known as "small critcize" (小批), while the set (T8) was known as "big critcize" (大批).

(5-3)【Study well】Chairman Mao Zedong's inscription for children "Study Well, Day After Day" (好好学习, 天天向上).

(5-4)【We love labour】The stamp shows children of China love and participate in labour activities.

(5-5)【Physical training】The stamp shows a group of children participating in a game of tug-of-war.  Beside studying, physical training is also important for the children.
   
T14 – Children of New China  新中国儿童
Issue Date: 1975.12.1
Serial Number:T14
Scott No.:1245-1249
Michel No.:1255-1259
Number of stamps in Set:5
Denomination:8 fen for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4,
52 fen for stamp 5
Quantity of Issue:10,000,000 for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
2,000,000 for stamp 5
Perforation:P11½
Sheet Composition:50 (10 X 5) for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Size of stamps:31 X 38.5 mm for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Designer:Cheng Chuanli  程传理
Printing Process:Photogravure
Printing House:Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Monday 6 May 2013

T13 -- Farm Mechanization

Farm Mechanization means utilizing machinery to replace manual tools, power machinery and electrical energy to replace manual and animal works.

On 15 December, 1975, to reflect the Farm Mechanization effort and standard in China, a set of five stamps depicting agriculture was issued.


(5-1) 8 fen, Ploughing the paddy field  水田旋耕
(5-2) 8 fen, Mechanized transplantation  机械插秧
(5-3) 8 fen, Powered drainage and irrigation  动力排灌
(5-4) 8 fen, Cotten Protection  棉田防治
(5-5) 8 fen, Mechanized harvesting  机械收割 

(5-1)【Ploughing the paddy field】The stamp depicts typical ploughing of the paddy field with a Chinese-made walking tractor in Southern China.  The walking tractor stirs and pulverizes the soil before planting, so as to aerate the soil and prepare a smooth, loose seedbed.

(5-2)【Mechanized transplantation】The stamp depicts commune members using a Chinese-made machine transplanting rice in the paddy field.
 
(5-3)【Powered drainage and irrigation】The stamp depicts a farmer using a home made irrigation pump irrigating his field.

(5-4)【Cotten Protection】The stamp depicts a women spraying pesticide on the cotton field with a home-made motorized sprayer.

(5-5)【Mechanized harvesting】The stamp depicts the farmer harvesting his field with a home made combine harveter.


T13 – Farm Mechanization  农业机械化
Issue Date: 1975.12.15
Serial Number:T13
Scott No.:1250-1254
Michel No.: 
Number of stamps in Set:5
Denomination:8 fen for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Quantity of Issue:7,000,000 for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Perforation:P11 X 11½
Sheet Composition:50 (5 X 10) for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Size of stamps:40 X 30 mm for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Designer:Pan Keming  潘可明
Printing Process:Photogravure
Printing House:Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works