The four new postage stamps are themed on the four sections of the painting, Landscape Across the Four Seasons, by Southern Song Dynasty artist Liu Songnian. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"We're planning to launch a big exhibition displaying them."

The exhibition will likely show the blueprints of the designs and the cultural relics that appear on the stamps, he adds.

The release of the postage stamps also marked the beginning of the 2018 China Philatelic Week that started on Aug 4.

More than 1,500 activities, including fairs, symposiums and exhibitions, have been or will be held nationwide during the week-especially to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the release of China's first postage stamp, widely known as the "large dragon".

Contact the writer at wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn