T25 - Chemical Fabrics

Chemical fiber is a general designation of fiber which was made through chemical and physical ways using crude or man-made macromolecule compound as materials.  According to the different material sources, chemical fiber is classified into man-made fiber and synthetic fiber.  

Generally speaking, the solution of macromolecule compound is extruded through very small holes of spinnert to form fibres.  The production can be continuous filament yarn, multifilament bundle uncut or discontinuous fiber.

To showcase the different stages in the production of chemical fiber, a set of five stamps was released on June 15,1978.  This stamp set of five was also the first time that a stamp set was printed in continuous strip format together.  

(5-1) 8 fen, Material feeder  原料
(5-2) 8 fen, Drawing out threads  抽丝
(5-3) 8 fen, Weaving  纺织
(5-4) 8 fen, Dyeing and printing  印染
(5-5) 8 fen, Finished products  成品

(5-1)【Material feeder】 Polymerization is the formation of macromolecules through repetition of basic units.  Initially, the various components are solids and first must be converted to a liquid state to be extruded into fibers.  The materials are chemically converted, dissolved, or melted, turning into a thick liquid.  The stamp showed a material feeder with factory facility in the background.

(5-2)【Drawing out threads】 A spinning process produces the fiber by passing the thick liquid through a spinneret.  A spinneret is a device with hundreds of holes of a specified diameter.  The liquid is forced through the spinneret holes and comes out a string liquid filament.  The hole in the spinneret determines the diameter of the filament, which is set by the application.  The stamp showed the extruded fiber collecting on rollers and drawing out threads.
 
(5-3)【Weaving】Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric.

(5-4)【Dyeing and printing】The stamp showed red, yellow and blue as primary colours, which can be combined through dyeing to make a useful range of colors for the fabrics.

(5-5)【Finished products】The stamp showed the multi-colors and beautiful finished fabric products. 

T25 – Chemical Fabrics  化学纤维 Issue Date: 1978.6.15
Serial Number:	T25
Scott Number:	1405-1409
Michel Number:	1415-1419
Number of stamps in Set:	5
Denomination:	8 fen for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Quantity of Issue:	15,000,000 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:	Wu Jiankun  吴建坤
Printing Process:	Photogravure
Printing House:	Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T24 - Weather

There were only 72 weather stations with broken equipment when the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949.  Until 1957, the number of weather stations in the country increased to 1647 and the National Basic Weather Network was formed. 

After 1958, in order to satisfy the need of agriculture, the weather station net was built across respective administration districts.  Weather station was used to observe weather at first and then later added the function of predicting weather to serve the industrial and agricultural sectors.

By the end of 1965, there were 2383 weather stations in the country.  After 1971, more development occurred as a lot of weather radar detecting stations and weather planet nephogram receiving terminals were established. 

To reflect these achievements and progresses, a set of five stamps depicting weather observation, prediction, new weather technology and equipment was issued on April 25, 1978.

(5-1) 8 fen,  Radiosonde 气球探空
(5-2) 8 fen, Weather radar 气象雷达
(5-3) 8 fen, Weather forecasting 天气预报
(5-4) 8 fen, Weather posts and groups 气象哨组
(5-5) 8 fen, Hail suppression 人工消雹

(5-1)【Radiosonde】The stamp depicted the scene outside a weather station in Tibet, with the Tibetan Plateau in the background.  Two operators are releasing a radiosonde, i.e., a weather balloon which will measure various atmospheric parameters and transmits them to a fixed receiver.  Stevenson screen and anemometer are showed on the left side of the stamp.

(5-2)【Weather radar】The stamp depicted a weather radar on a mountain by the sea.  Weather radar is a type of radar used to locate precipitation, calculate its motion, and estimate its type (rain, snow, hail etc.).  The data collected can be analyzed to determine the structure of storms and their potential to cause severe weather.  This enables accurate and timely prediction of weather.

(5-3)【Weather forecasting】The stamp depicted the weather forecasting room in a weather station.  One operator is reading out data from the weather chart, while another operator enters the data into the computer running the weather forecasting module. 

(5-4)【Weather posts and groups】Weather posts and groups are unique in weather forecasting in China. It make use of the vast experience of the people in observing the sky and weather patterns.  The stamp showed an old farmer, a female technician and a member of the Young Pioneers of China (中国少年先锋队) looking at the cloud and predicting the weather.  Background of the stamp showed terraced fields.

(5-5)【Hail suppression】 Hail suppression is for the purpose of reducing the damaging effects of hailstorms by modifying the characteristics of the hail-producing cloud.  The currently prevailing hypothesis is that silver iodide seeding provides more hailstone nuclei (and, at the same time, reduces the amount of supercooled water available to build up large hailstones) with the net effect that the hail that reaches the ground is smaller and less damaging, and also has a high probability of melting before reaching the ground.  The stamp showed shooting of silver iodide to the cloud.

T24 – Weather  气象 Issue Date: 1978.4.25
Serial Number:	T24
Scott Number:	1384-1388
Michel Number:	1394-1398
Number of stamps in Set:	5
Denomination:	8 fen for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Quantity of Issue:	15,000,000 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

T23 - Army and People Are One Family

Whether in wartime or in peacetime, the People' s Liberation Army of China attaches much importance to the relation between army and the people;  support the government and cherish the people “拥政爱民”.

A set of two stamps reflecting the close relationship between army and the people was issued on February 5, 1978.

(2-1) 8 fen United in struggle  团结战斗
(2-2) 8 fen Striving for bumper harvest  共夺丰收

(2-1)【United in struggle】The stamp showed Liberation Army training the local militia on rifle shooting practice on boats, on a great summer day.

After this stamp set was released for sale to the public, it was discovered that this stamp (United in struggle) has "missing denomination" error, i.e. "8 fen" not printed.  A total of 161 "error" stamps was found and withdrew from sales.  A very small number, possibly about 14, were sold to the public.   
  

(2-2)【Striving for bumper harvest】The stamp showed Liberation Army helping peasants seeding and irrigating in paddy field.

  

T23 – Army and People Are One Family  军民一家人 Issue Date: 1978.2.5
Serial Number:	T23
Scott No.:	1371-1372
Michel No.:	1381-1382
Number of stamps in Set:	2
Denomination:	8 fen for stamp 1, 2
Quantity of Issue:	10,500,000 for stamp 1, 2
Perforation:	P11
Sheet Composition:	35 (5 X 7) for stamp 1, 2
Size of stamps:	60 X 27 mm for stamp 1, 2
Artists	陈衍宁, 林墉
Designer:	Shao Bolin  邵柏林
Printing Process:	Photogravure
Printing House:	Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T22 - Buiding Dazhai-type counties throughout the country

During the Cultural Revolutionary era, the criticizing campaign (大批判活动) was held.  There are a few sets of stamps on this theme.  The set (T8) was known as "big critcize" (大批), the set (T14) was also known as "small critcize" (小批), while this set T22 was known as "peasant critcize" (农批).

T22 was also the last set of stamp on criticizing campaign, symbolizing the end of the Cultural Revolutionary era.

On the other hand, T22 was the first set of stamps depicting four seasons in the stamp design, i.e. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

In 1975, the slogan building Daizhai-type counties throughout the country was proposed in the national congress of learning from Dazhai in agriculture.  To coordinate with the movement, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of PRC released a set of four stamps on April 9, 1977.

(4-1) 8 fen, The revolutionized county party committee  革命化的县委
(4-2) 8 fen, A scene of prosperity  欣欣向荣
(4-3) 8 fen, Celebrating the bumper harvest  战“四害”庆丰收
(4-4) 8 fen, Work hard for the course of socialism  大干社会主义

“全党动员，大办农业，为普及大寨县而奋斗！”

(4-1)【The revolutionized county party committee】Spring: The stamp showed the county party committee carrying shovel, newspaper and a red banner showing "In Agriculture, learn from Dazhai" (农业学大寨), going to rural mountainous region, leading the peasants from the frontline building Dazhai-type county.   Background of the stamp showed terraced fields.

(4-2)【A scene of prosperity】Summer: The stamp showed three mechanized machines transplanting rice in a paddy field.  The slogan "In Agriculture, learn from Dazhai" (农业学大寨) was displayed on the mountainside.   In the far background on the right, the irrigation canal (Red Flag Canal) showed the location of the stamp was Linxian (林县).

(4-3)【Celebrating the bumper harvest】Autumn: The stamp showed a bumper harvest.  A criticizing campaign bulletin board was set up near the harvesting field, where the peasants could look at the bulletins during harvesting breaks.  Top of the criticizing bulletin board showed “大批修正主义、大批资本主义、大干社会主义” meaning "Criticize Revisionism, Criticize Capitalism, Go all out for Socialism".  Center of the bulletin board showed "狠批四人帮” meaning "Criticize the Gang of Four".

(4-4)【Work hard for the course of socialism】Winter: The stamp showed the hardworking peasants still hard at work in winter.  The are building the infrastructures such as digging irrigation canals through the mountainside, creating more fields for agriculture, etc.

T22 – Building Dazhai-type counties throughout the country  普及大寨县 Issue Date: 1977.4.9
Serial Number:	T22
Scott Number:	1329-1332
Michel Number:	1339-1342
Number of stamps in Set:	4
Denomination:	8 fen for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
Quantity of Issue:	8,000,000 for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
Perforation:	P11 X 11½
Sheet Composition:	50 (5 X 10) for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
Size of stamps:	40 X 30 mm for stamp 1, 2, 3, 4
Designer:	Wan Weisheng 万维生
Printing Process:	Photogravure
Printing House:	Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works