1996-23, Precious Chinese Ancient Archives《中国古代档案珍藏》

Stamp Title: Precious Chinese Ancient Archives
Serial number: 1996-23
Values in set: 4
(4-1), Archives on Tortoise Shells of Shang Dinasty, 20 fen, 30*40mm
(4-2), Archives on Wood Slips of Han Dinasty, 20 fen, 30*40mm
(4-3), Iron Scrolls of Ming Dinasty, 50 fen, 30*40mm
(4-4), Books of Qing Dinasty, 100 fen, 30*40mm
Date of issue: September 2, 1996
Designers: Wang Huming
Size of stamp: 30*40mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 50
Printing process: offset

As one of the four ancient civilizations, China set up a system of archives collection, management and utility as early as in Shang Dynasty (17th century BC- 11th century BC). The massive excavation of Yinxu Ruins in Anyang, Henan Province form late 19th century to 1970s showed that officials were appointed to manage tortoise shells with languages in Shang Dynasty, and they became an important part of the massive bureaucratic system. In the Qin and Han dynasties, China saw the establishment of a complete archives management system, centering on the central governments and involving central and local affairs, including the emperors’ routine lives, files, household registrations and land archives.

At present, China’s national archives work is managed by a huge system with China’s State Archives Bureau at its centre and involving archives management agencies at provincial, prefectural and county levels as well as of various sector. China’s major archives include China No.1 Historical Archives (Which has a collection of more than 18 million copies or volumes of Qing Dynasty central and local government archives), Central Archives (which, attached to the central government and founded in 1962, mainly collects the archives of national significance and for ministries and commissions after 1949), China No.2 Historical Archives (which collects the archives of the Republic of China from 1912-49), China Contemporary Literature Museum and China Photo Archives.

中国国家邮政局1996年9月2日发行《中国古代档案珍藏》特种邮票1套4枚。
（4-1）T 甲骨档案·商代龟甲 20 分 3674.25万枚
（4-2）T 简牍档案·汉代木牍 20 分 3674.25万枚
（4-3）T 金石档案·明代铁券 50 分 2624.25万枚
（4-4）T 纸质档案·清代国书 100 分 2099.25万枚
志号名称：1996-23T
版别：胶印
整版枚数：50 枚
全套面值：1.90元
邮票规格：30 × 40
齿孔度数：12 度
设计者：王虎鸣
印制机构：河南省邮电印刷厂

新中国成立后，档案事业飞速发展。中央档案馆、中国第一、第二历史档案馆等一大批档案基地相继建成，使档案在国家的政治、经济生活中，发挥着重要作用。中国自古具有收集和保存档案的传统，早在夏商时起就有了档案。早期即有甲骨、木牍、竹简、缣帛、金石等档案。我国档案馆现存最早的纸质档案是唐代开元二年(公元714年)形成的。由于中国档案事业的卓越成就，国际档案理事会决定，第13届国际档案大会于1996年9月2 El至7日在中国首都北京召开。来自100多个国家和地区的2000多名代表齐聚北京，参加这次以“本世纪末的档案工作——回顾与展望”为主题的国际盛会。

1996年9月2日，为祝贺13届国际档案大会在我国召开，并展示我国源远流长的档案工作，邮电部发行了《中国古代档案珍藏》特种邮票，全套4枚。