20th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Basic Law of Macao

The Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China was adopted by the First Session of the Eighth National People’s Congress on March 31, 1993, promulgated by Order No. 3 of the President of the People’s Republic of China on March 31, 1993, and effective on December 20, 1999.

On April 13, 1987, the Chinese and Portuguese Governments signed the Joint Declaration on the Question of Macao, affirming that the Government of the People’s Republic of China will resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macao with effect from December 20, 1999.

Upholding national unity and territorial integrity, contributing to social stability and economic development, and taking account of its history and realities, the People’s Republic of China has decided that, upon China’s resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Macao, a Macao Special Administrative Region will be established in accordance with the provisions of Article 31 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, and that under the principle of “one country, two systems”, the socialist system and policies will not be practiced in Macao.

Therefore, the National People’s Congress hereby enacts the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, prescribing the systems to be practiced in the Macao Special Administrative Region, in order to ensure the implementation of the basic policies of the People’s Republic of China regarding Macao.

The Basic Law is a national law, can also be called as a constitutional law and is the basic law of Macao. This law came into effect on December 20, 1999. The returning of Macao to the country is the joint wish of people of all nationalities in the country, including people in Macao. Since then, Macao has been in a new era of development in the history, making the event an important milestone in the history of development of Chinese Nation.

In the 13 years since its returning and with the great support from the Central Government, the Government of Macao Special Administrative Region performs administration strictly according to the Basic Law of Macao Special Administrative Region, fully promotes the developments and reforms in all social fields and makes remarkable achievements in all aspects including economy, civil life, politics, law, culture and society. As a result, Macao Special Administrative Region is developing along the road of “one country, two systems”, “Macao people administrating Macao” and high degree of autonomy, with gratifying prospects.

Upon the 20th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Basic Law of Macao, a set of

stamps is issucd as a memory.

Legal Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government

Translation: C&C - Translation Centre, Ltd.

The Stamps:

 The FDC with Stamps:

The Post Mark:

Dados Técnicos/Technical Data

Valor dos Selos/Stamps Value: set of two stamps of 1.50 and 5.00 Patacas

Desenho/Design: Victor Hugo Marreiros

Data emissão/Issue date: 31.03.2013

Impressor/Printer: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei, Austria

Impressão/Print: Offset Lithography with Embossing and Varnish

Papel/Paper: Paper with Security Fibers

Picotagem/Perforation: 14 x 14

MAINLAND SCENERY V

Macao Post released the fifth issue of souvenir sheet series "Mainland Scenery" on 1st March, 2013, Kaiping Diaolou and Villages as the theme of this issue and it is inscribed on the UNESCO’s “World Cultural Heritage List” in 2007.

Kaiping Diaolou is located in the villages of Kaiping, Guangdong Province, the emergence can be traced back to the middle and late period of Ming Dynasty.

Most of the existing buildings were constructed in 1920s and 1930s, built by emigrants returning from abroad, mainly from Europe and America, different kinds of overseas architectural styles were brought back along with them, which reflects the harmonious integration of Chinese and foreign architectural and decorative forms.

There are 1,833 Diaolou left in Kaiping, they could be classified into three major types by function: night towers, communal towers and residential towers.

The image of this souvenir sheet highlights the finest building in the Zili Village in the Tangkou Town Kaiping City – Mingshi Lou Tower, built in 1925, with 6 floors.

On the left side of the souvenir sheet is the Yeshengjulu Tower, built in 1930.

Around the towers, smell of lotus, footpaths between field, with many trees and bamboos, and beautiful landscapes with mountains and water, a harmonious environment to live.

The Souvenir Sheet:

The FDC with Souvenir Sheet:

The Post Mark:

Dados Técnicos/Technical Data

Valor do Bloco/Souvenir Sheet Value: 12.00 Patacas

Desenho/Design: Macao Post

Fotógrafo/Photographer: Lou Kam Ieng

Data emissão/Issue date: 01.03.2012

Impressor/Printer:

Impressão/Print: Offset

Papel/Paper: Paper with Security Fibers

Picotagem/Perforation:

Lunar Year of the Snake

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

Literature and its Characters - The Peony Pavilion

The Peony Pavilion, the full name is”The Peony Pavilion Revival”, which is known with Legends of Purple hairpin”, “The Bandan Dream”, “The Nanke Dream” as “Four Dreams of Yuming Hail”, It is one of the most famous works of Tang Xianzu, a playwright in the Ming Dynasty. It’s a charming love story between Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei, dreaming due to love, and loving in the dream. With the art of exquisite beyond compare, and picturesque mood, it stages a touching “Unfinished Love”.

The stamp issue “Literature and its Characters - The Peony Pavilion”, with six stamps and one souvenir sheet, designed by the Famous painter in Macao “Poon Kant Ling”. All the topics are selected from the classic story of The Peony Pavilion.

Revisit for the Drearn: After encountering Liu Mengmei in the dream. Du Liniang could not stop thinking constantly of him and finally decided to revisit the garden alone to seek the trace of dream. Unfortunately, dreamboat had gone while garden still be there, it seems an untrue dream, which made Du Liniang wandering and blue.

Sell Portrait and Last Wish: As failed to re-encounter Liu Mengmei, Du Liniang cried sadly. Her beautiful appearance suffered an eclipse day by day due to the endless yearning. When felt alone, she drew herself in front of the mirror with tiffany, and attached poetry: “how modest you appear once I close to you, while like a fairy when overlook. Who is the only one I dream of, Oh, It’s always you!” At the point of death, she urged her mother and Chunxiang to bury her self-portrait under the rockery stone in garden, and bury herself under the plum tree to re-encounter Liu Mengmei.

Infernal Judgement: Her soul tramped to Hades after death, and waited for a trial in city of injustice death. The judge Hu didn’t believe her bizarre death and called in flower immortal for the detail. Finally found out that her life should continue, therefore the judge makes a sentence that Du Liniang’s soul returns to earth. With spring immortal and flower immortal’s help, the soul fled the Hell’s fire and get revival.

Reunion and Achieving the Dream: Liu Mengmei appreciated a painting in his study room and thrilled with the beauty of woman in portray. He could not resist and called the beauty. As Du Liniang found that the calling to her paiming from Liu Mengmei, she felt that this is the destiny, and intended to spend a wonderful night with the dreamboat, which is her dream.

Resurrection and Marriage Without consent: According to the death trial, Du Liniang will got revival, so she told Liu Mengmei the truth. At first he felt astonished and later felt touched by mutual sincere love. Therefore they decided to get married and followed Liniang’s advice to open her coffin beneath the palm tree under Taoist nun Shi’s guidance. Finally, Du Liniang got revival again.

Travel to the Imperial Court and Celebrations of the Marriage: Liu Mengmei met the father-in-law after he was in the first place in the imperial examination. Unexpectedly, Du Bao, the father-in-law, did not admit this secret marriage, which drove the newlyweds to report it to the Imperial court. Through the grace decree of the Imperial court, gathering ail of them in the palace, the marriage was approved by Liniang’s parents.

An Amazing Dream in the Garden: The phrase of The Peony Pavilion is elegant and has endless charm. Just a phrase like “amazing dream” is indeed a gem and reaches the acme of perfection. This play tells a story that: Du Liniang amused herself in the backyard garden instigated by the servant Chun Xiang, and saw all flowers blooming and all birds singing. The sight stroke the chord in her heart. When return back and fell asleep due to being exhausted, she saw Liu Mengmei and had a heart-to-heart talk in her dream, even fell in love with each other with the assist of flower immortal. While liniang found every happiness had gone when woke up, and there was nobody to pour out. The Peony Pavilion with six songs combines emotion with scenery, serving as a foil to moumful feeling in her heart. Also it is the important reason why this play is always prosperous so far.

Author: Tue Qianqiu

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: stamps of 1.50, 1.50, 2.00, 2.00, 2.50 and 2.50 Patacas

Folha Miniatura com duas séries/Minisheet with two sets

Valor do Bloco/Souvenir Sheet Value: 12.00 Patacas

Desenho/Design: Poon Kam Ling

Data emissão/Issue date: 30.11.2012

Impressor/Printer: Cartor Security Printing, France

Impressão/Print Offset Lithography

Papel/Paper: Paper with Security Fibers

Picotagem/Perforation: 13¼ x 13

Tamanho/Size: 30 x 40 mm

Selos por folha/Stamps per sheet: 12