TELLING GOOD STORIES THROUGH STAMPS

A rich treasure trove of postal artefacts can be found on the first floor of the Hongkong Post Building in Kowloon Bay.

The new Postal Gallery spans approximately 200 sq m, a quarter larger than the previous 160 sq m gallery at the General Post Office in Central.

“Unlike the open display of the old gallery, the new layout resembles a museum, showcasing the history of Hongkong Post over the past 150 years and highlighting the themes of special stamps issued throughout the years,” Hongkong Post Senior Manager (Public Relations) Oliver Wong explained.

Philatelic retrospective

“Time Tunnel” offers an overview of the development of Hongkong Post over the years and showcases historically rich exhibits, including postal items from the 1960s to 1980s, such as letter scales, postal staff uniforms and various postal supplies. The new gallery also features a recently revamped exhibition corner titled “Stamps that Tell Stories”.

“Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland 27 years ago, in July 1997, Hongkong Post has issued over 400 sets of special stamps.

“To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, we have updated the exhibits. In ‘Stamps that Tell Stories’, more than 40 sets of special stamps are displayed across four categories: The Return of Hong Kong to the Motherland, Achievements of the Country, The Development of Hong Kong, and Serving the Community.

“We aim for the public to appreciate the country’s achievements, and significant historical moments in Hong Kong, through these stamp products,” Mr Wong added.

Under the theme of returning to the motherland, a special exhibit includes the first-day cover for the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region commemorative stamp.

Legislative Council President Andrew Leung invited incumbent and former Chief Executives including Tung Chee-hwa, Donald Tsang, CY Leung, Carrie Lam and John Lee, and Presidents of the Legislative Council, Rita Fan and Jasper Tsang, to join him to sign on the cover, symbolically representing the long-standing co-operation and interaction between the city’s executive authorities and legislature.

Since 1997, Hongkong Post has issued stamps to commemorate the 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

The 50th-anniversary stamp featured an artistic rendering of the figure “5”, to represent 50 years, along with the national emblem.

For the 60th anniversary, a joint souvenir pack featuring three stamp sheetlets presented in a so-called “se-tenant” style, was issued by the Mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Five years ago, for the 70th anniversary, the stamps depicted a traditional ruyi knot, signifying a spirit of national unity, as well as sentiments of well-being and harmony.

Remarkable achievements

The country's aerospace development is progressing rapidly. On October 15, 2003, the first manned spacecraft, Shenzhou-5, carried astronaut Yang Liwei into space and returned to Earth the following day.

Hongkong Post issued the commemorative stamps on October 16, but there is an interesting back story as to why the special stamps could be available for sale right after the completion of Shenzhou-5’s mission.

The postal authorities had actually planned and printed the stamps well in advance, as is the usual practice. Once Shenzhou-5 had successfully completed its mission, the department then immediately announced the stamp details and made them available for sale that same day.

Olympic success

More recently, a set of stamps was launched to congratulate Hong Kong Olympians after they won a gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

This year, the Hong Kong, China team achieved further success at the Paris Olympics, winning two gold medals - a record number at any Olympics - along with two bronze medals. Mr Wong revealed that Hongkong Post is actively considering issuing special stamps to honour the Hong Kong athletes for their remarkable accomplishments.

Hongkong Post is currently organising guided tours of the “Stamps that Tell Stories” exhibition until November 30, with trained staff assisting visitors in appreciating the development of Hong Kong and the country over the past 75 years.

Tour participants each receive a limited edition postcard, while a new cachet commemorating National Day is also available.

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