White Horse Temple and Mahabodhi Temple

Serial number: 2008-7
Values in set: 2
Denomination: 2.40 yuan
Date of issue: June 6, 2008
Designer of stamp: Yin Huili
Editor in Charge: Tong Liying
Size of stamp: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5 * 13
Sheet composition: 16
Size of sheet: 150 * 240 mm
Printing process: photogravure
Printer: Beijing Stamp Printing House

(2-1)T　　　　White Horse Temple　 　1.20yuan
(2-2)T　　　　Mahabodhi Temple　　　1.20yuan

On June 6, 2008, China National Philatelic Corporation issued a first-day cover, entitled "White Horse Temple and Mahabodhi Temple", containing a set of two special stamps, with a total value of 2.40 yuan. The stamps are entitled "White Horse Temple" and "Mahabodhi Temple", respectively.

The White Horse Temple, 12 km east of Luoyang, Henan Province, is China's oldest Buddhist Temple. The temple was built during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220) by Cai Yin and Qin Jing after they returned with scriptures from India. Revered as "birthplace and ancestral hall of Chinese Buddhism", the White Horse Temple plays a dominant role in Chinese history of Buddhism. The Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhgaya, 130 km southeast of Patna, Bihar State of India, is the earliest extant brick temple in India. This temple, where Sakyamuni attained enlightenment, was one of his four sacred places. The White Horse Temple and the Mahabodhi Temple are both renowned Buddhist sacred places. This set of special stamps was issued jointly by China and India.

Birds of Taiwan Postage Stamps (III)

First day of issue: 2008-06-05
Sheet composition: 100（10 × 10）
Paper used: Phosphorescent stamp paper
Designer:
Printer: China Color Printing Co., Ltd.
Stamp size: 24 × 32（mm）
Color: Colorful
Process: Deep etch offset
Perforation: 13½ × 12½
Back:
Suspersion Date:

After having issued the first two sets in the “Birds of Taiwan” definitive stamp series on November 3, 2007 and January 30, 2008, this Post is following up with a third set of four stamps, featuring Streptopelia orientalis, Passer montanus, Pica pica and Zosterops japonicus. The designs of the stamps follow:
1. Streptopelia orientalis (NT$7.00): This common resident bird, about 30 centimeters in length, is an endemic subspecies of Taiwan. It has orange irises and black pupils. It is lavender from its crown, to its forehead, cheeks, throat and belly, with a black and white striped patch on the side of its neck. The edges of the feathers on its back are brownish orange. The flight feathers are black. The undersides of its wings, and the uppertail and undertail coverts are gray. The tail is black with white edging.
2. Passer montanus (NT$15.00): This common resident bird is about 14 centimeters in length. It has black eyes and inconspicuous ivory eye rings. Its black beak is short and wide. There is a black spot on its throat and both of its cheeks. It is chestnut from head to nape. Its back is reddish brown with black streaks. There are two white wing bars visible when the wings are closed. The edges of the wings are black. It has buff underparts. Its tail feathers are wheat colored with black trim.
3. Pica pica (NT$20.00): This uncommon resident bird is about 45 centimeters in length. It is black from the head to the breast. Its belly is white, its back is the deepest hue of blue, and its undertail coverts are black. Its wings are blue-green with white scapulars. In flight, the white stripes that form a V on its back and the white on the outer edges of its wings become obvious.
4. Zosterops japonicus (NT$34.00): This common resident bird ranges between 10 to 11 centimeters. It has black lores and obvious white eye rings, a distinctive feature used for identification. Its back is yellow-green, and its forehead, cheeks, throat and undertail coverts are yellow. It is dull white from the lower breast to the belly. Its tail feathers are green.

Peasant War at Mahtra, 150th anniversary

Denomination: 5.50
Date: 31.05.2008
Print: ofset
Designer: Indrek Ilves
Perforation: 14 : 13¾
Sheets: 5 x 4
Quantity issued: 140 000
Printing house: AS Vaba Maa

A system of corveé survived in the Russian province of Estland (North Estonia) well into the second half of the 19th century. Triggered by a new Peasant Law, which failed to bring any alleviation to the statute labour done to the manor or do away with the hated additional labour, a wave of peasant unrest rolled over the province in 1858. Peasants on 18 manors refused to do additional labour, but contrary to other manors, the peasants at Mahtra did not permit the Russian punitive expedition to beat them and force them to work but summoned help from the neighbourhood. On 2 June (14 June Old Style) there was clash between 700-800 peasants brandishing sticks and forks and 50 soldiers and two officers armed with guns, the peasants putting the soldiers to flight. The War at Mahtra became a symbol of the Estonians’ desire for freedom already at the time; the national movement period of the 1860s and the novel, War at Mahtra, by Eduard Vilde published in 1902 further increased its meaning.