Dong Qi, who works for the Postage Stamp Printing Bureau, under the China Post Group Corporation (in Beijing), is one of two third-generation inheritors of the stamp-engraving craft. [For Women of China]

Popularizing Knowledge, Historical Development about Stamps

Roughly at the same time she created Fat Pig Wangfu, Dong had her treatise, Engravers Through Time — A History of Chinese Intaglio Postage Stamps, published. In addition to recording 110 years of historical development of Chinese intaglio stamps, the book outlines the achievements of 30-plus experts (in stamp-related fields), including engravers, painters, printing experts, philatelic activists, collectors and historians, based on Dong's interviews with the experts.

Within a short time, many media outlets reported on Dong's book, and many stamp collectors wrote comments about the book. Earlier this year, China's State Post Bureau decided the book would be displayed during the China 2019 World Stamp Exhibition, which will be held in Wuhan (capital of Central China's Hubei Province) from Jun 11 to 17, 2019. These developments inspired Dong to make greater efforts to pursue artistic perfection.

Dong during the past two years has provided, via Peking University's Boya Forum, two courses to popularize, among the students and residents, knowledge about stamps and the items' cultural value. The courses have been well received.

"Stamps are 'small illustrated annals of China's history.' The items, which embody both China's distinct cultural features and rich historical and cultural messages, have become the country's 'name cards.' ... I would like to share interesting stories about stamps with more people," says Dong.