A set of commemorative stamps honoring six ancient Chinese thinkers, including Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Mozi and Xunzi, were issued Saturday in Qufu, hometown of Confucius in east China's Shandong Province.
Meanwhile, a ceremony was also held Saturday in Luyi county in Central China's Henan Province, hometown of Laozi, for the issuance of the stamp in Laozi's honor. The stamp on Zhuangzi was also issued Saturday in his hometown of the Minquan County in the province.
The face value of the six-stamp series is 0.6 yuan (Confucius), 0.8 yuan (Mencius), 0.8 yuan (Laozi), 0.8 yuan (Zhuangzi), 0.8 yuan (Mozi) and 2.8 yuan (Xunzi).
Ideologies developed by the ancient thinkers living in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period more than 2,000 years ago have exerted significant influences on Chinese philosophy, culture and history.
Of the six great thinkers, Confucius, Mencius and Mozi lived in Shandong Province. Celebrations of various forms were carried out in their home cities Saturday.
Representatives from the State Post Bureau, the All-China Philatelic Federation and China National Philatelic Group attended the debut ceremony along with over 1,000 fans from around the country.
(People's Daily 11/12/2000)
