1996-17, New Tangshan after Quake《震后新唐山》

Stamp Title: New Tangshan after Quake
Scott No: 2695-98
Serial number: 1996-17
Values in set: 4
(4-1), Farm Cottage, 20 fen, 50*30mm
(4-2), Factory, 50 fen, 50*30mm
(4-3), Street, 50 fen, 50*30mm
(4-4), Port, 100 fen, 50*30mm
Date of issue: July 28, 1996
Designers: Li Yinqing
Size: 50*30mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: gravure

At 3:53 am on July 28, 1976,shocking blue lights were shining above Tangshan City, North China’s Hebei Province. The century-old east Hebei city was hit by a devastating earthquake, measuring 7.8 on Richter scale with the intensity in the epicentre measuring 11 degrees. The world scarcely witnessed quake had killed 240,000 people and heavily injured 160,000, others, 7,218 families had their whole members killed in the quake (accounting for 2.97 percent of the total households in the city ), and 2,652 children became orphans. The ground constructions and facilities were totally ruined with the railways twisted, bridges broken, transportation, water and power supply and telecommunications all cut off. Of the more than 10 million square meters industrial buildings, 80 percent collapsed or were severely destroyed. Meanwhile 245 million mu arable lands were shrouded by sands and water, the economic loss caused by the earthquake totaled RMB 30 billion yuan.

The unyielding Tangshan people struggled to rebuild their homes just when the main tremor paused and the after-shocks not yet ceased. In the 20 years since then, the Tangshan people spent 10 years rebuilding the city and another 10 reviving it, thus making a great, historic wonder in fighting natural disasters.

In 1979, the large-scale reconstruction of Tangshan City began. More than 100,000 construction workers struggled on the tens of square kilometers of ruins. By the end of June 1986, the congregated rebuilt area had totaled 18 million square meters, and 230,000 people or 98.5 percent of the total households, moved in their new homes. The United Nations awarded the Tangshan a “residence honored prize”, and the municipal government was chosen by the UN as the “outstanding organization contributing to human residence.”

In 1989, Tangshan became the city whose gross domestic product exceeding RMB 10 billion yuan. During the Eighth Five-year Plan period (1991-1995) the gross national product increased by 18.5 per cent on a year-by-year basis. In 1994, the GNP reached RMB38.649 billion yuan, doubling its GNP six years earlier than scheduled. In 1995 its GNP hit RMB 48.5 billion yuan.

1996年特种邮票《震后新唐山》
国家邮政局1996年7月28日发行《震后新唐山》特种邮票1套4枚。
（4-1）T 农舍 20 分 3557.7万枚
（4-2）T 工厂 50 分 2723.7万枚
（4-3）T 街景 50 分 2053.7万枚
（4-4）T 海港 100 分 2149.7万枚

志号名称：1996-17T
版别：影写
整版枚数：40 枚
全套面值：2.20元
邮票规格：50 × 30毫米
齿孔度数：12 度
设计者：李印清
印制机构：北京邮票厂

1976年7月28日凌晨3时42分53秒，一场震惊世界的大地震给唐山市带来灭顶之灾;市内房屋倒塌、铁轨扭曲、桥梁折断、交通、供电、通讯全面中断;死亡2424 69人，重伤164851人;地震造成的经济损失300亿元。灾情之重。损失之巨，举世罕见。

震后20年来，唐山人民在党和国家的亲切关怀下，在全国人民大力支援和帮助下同心同德，艰苦奋斗，历经十年重建和十年振兴，创造了人类同地震灾害斗争历史上的伟大奇迹。如今一座崭新的唐山城又屹立在当年的废墟之上。此套邮票共4枚，图案分别为农舍、工厂、街景、海港。表现出新唐山的城市建设景象。