The siskin repays benefits with jade bracelets
The snake offers pearls showing thankfulness
In the Chinese lunar calendar, the year of 2013
is the year of the snake.
According to Li Shizhen in his famous Compendium
of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu), Chapter 2 — “Animals with scales”, there are
17 species of snakes, each of which can be used to treat chronic diseases
depending on their specificity.
In “Soushenji”, written by Gan Bao in Jin Dynasty,
mentioned that Suihou, a King in Sui Dynasty met a very large snake, which was
wound and almost dying in his traveling so he saved it by sealing the wound
with medicines.
In Lunar New Year’s live, the snake he had saved
appeared and held a bright pearl in the mouth for requiring favours.
The pearl was big and as bright as the moon at
night that can light up a room.
It is also another story about a man named Yang
Bao in Han Dynasty, he received a white ring that could bring benefits to his
posterity since he had saved a siskin that fell to the ground and was close to
death.
Both of these stories are allusions of gratitude
for receiving help and encouragement by others.
The world was full of cruelty and violence, the
new stamp is issued during the Lunar New Year and a couplet is also be launched
“The siskin repays benefits with jade bracelets, snake offers pearls showing
thankfulness” in serving to celebrate the event and promote harmony and peace.
Author: Lao Wah
Translation: C&C — Translation Centre, Ltd.
About the “Five Snakes”
There are two kinds of theories about the
attributes of the Five Elements in each year: one saying is dependent on the
heavenly Stems” while the other is based on the sound retainers of the Five
Elements, which are calculated by “Heavenly Stems” and the “Earthly Branches”.
If calculated by “Heavenly Stems”, the snake’s
nature for the Five Elements is as follows:
| “Water Snake”: | Guisi Year | (Gui belongs to Water) | 2013, 1953 |
| “Metal Snake”: | Xinsi Year | (Xin belongs to Metal) | 2001, 1941 |
| “Earth Snake”: | Jisi Year | (Ji belongs to Earth) | 1989, 1929 |
| “Fire Snake”: | Dingsi Year | (Ding belongs to Fire) | 1977, 1917 |
| “Wood Snake”: | Yisi Year | (Yi belongs to Wood) | 1965, 1905 |
If based on the sound retainers of the Five
Elements, the snake’s nature for the Five Elements and their mnemonics are as
follows:
| “Water Snake”: | Guisi Year | Guisi - runnng water | 2013, 1953 |
| “Metal Snake”: | Xinsi Year | Xinsi - wax metal | 2001, 1941 |
| “Earth Snake”: | Jisi Year | Jisi - forest wood | 1989, 1929 |
| “Fire Snake”: | Dingsi Year | Dingsi - earth ìn sand | 1977, 1917 |
| “Wood Snake”: | Yisi Year | Yisi - fire of Buddha | 1965, 1905 |
The Macao Post adopted the “Heavenly Stems” calculation method to figure out the nature of the “Five Elements” in the sixth issue of the third series of Chinese Zodiac stamps “Lunar Year of the Snake”.
This year, the snake’s nature from the “Five
Elements” is “Water Snake”, so it becomes the main character of the five
stamps.
“Water Snake” - The Water Snake belongs to the
species of “Crouching Snake”.
He is career activist, namely, enterprising
people who is enthusiastic about pioneering work.
He hopes for the best when dealing with things,
make plans before moving ahead, and advance bravely without fear of taking a
risk once he moves. His strong sense of self-respect makes him easily
emotional.
“Metal Snake” - The Metal Snake belongs to the
species of “Viperidae”.
Also called King of Snakes, King of Snakes means
the people that behave in a kingly way and is a born leader.
With excellent decision making ability, breadth
of mind and courage, and is followed constantly. The high confident can make
him turn to be full of’ conceit.
“Earth Snake” - The Earth Snake belongs to the
species of “Dragon Snake”.
He is a person with spirit of universal love,
loyal lo friends, treasures friendship, and is sensitive to emotion, like being
the center of attention.
Pay attention to friends, but not willing to be
excessively known by friends.
‘Fire Snake” - The Fire Snake belongs to the
species of “Big Snake”.
He is attractive and provided with both innate
charm and skill of performing, quick mind and strong reflex and outstanding sociability,
he is positive and subjective when dealing with affairs, anxiously however.
He is luck in making money.
“Wood Snake” - The Wood Snake belongs to the
species of “Long Snake”.
He is organized, matters in a planned and order,
and is self-disciplined.
He has a good taste in life and innate
appreciation ability, popular among friends, but selective when making friends.
He is inactive in handling affairs and easily
frustrated.
Author: Lawrence Lei
Translation: C&C — Translation Centre, Ltd.
The Stamps:
The Sheetlet:
The Souvenir Sheet:
The FDC with Stamps:
The FDC with Souvenir
Sheet:
The Maximum cards:
The Post Mark:
Dados Técnicos/Technical
Data
Valor dos Selos/Stamps
Value: 5 stamps of 1.50, 1.50, 1.50, 1.50 and 5.00 Patacas
Folhas Miniatura com cinco séries/Mini sheets with five sets
Valor do Bloco/Souvenir
Sheet Value: 12.00 Patacas
Desenho/Design: Wilson Chi Ian Lam
Data emissão/Issue date: 03.01.2013
Impressor/Printer: Sprintpak,
Australia
Impressão/Print: Offset
Lithography with Embossing and Hot Foil Stamping with Holographic
Papel/Paper: Paper with
Security Fibers
Selos por folha/Stamps
per sheet: 25
Tamanho/ Size: 35 x 35
mm
Picotagem/Perforation:
14.28 x 14.28
No comments:
Post a Comment