1997-11, Ancient Temples in Wutai Mountain《五台古刹》

Stamp Title: Ancient Temples in Wutai Mountain
Scott No: 2776, 2777, 2778, 2779, 2780, 2781
Serial number: 1997-11
Values in set: 6
(6-1), Temple Complex in Taihuai Township, 40 fen, 50*30mm
(6-2), Great Hall of Nanchan Temple, 50 fen, 50*30mm
(6-3), Eastern Hall of Foguang Temple, 50 fen, 50*30mm
(6-4), Bronze Hall of Xiantong Temple, 150 fen, 50*30mm
(6-5), Bodhisattva Summit, 150 fen, 50*30mm
(6-6), Zhenhai Temple, 200 fen, 50*30mm
Date of issue: Yan Bingwu; Yang Wenqing
Designers: July 26,1997
Size: 50*30mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: offset

Mt. Wutai is located in the northeastern part of Wutai County, Shanxi Province. Together with Mt. Emei in Sichuan Province, Mt. Putuo in Zhejiang Province, Mt. Jiuhua in Anhui Province, they are called the four most well-known Buddhist mountains in China. Consisting of five peaks with the Yedou Peak as its north terrace, Jinxiu Peak as its south terrace, Wang hai Peak as its east terrace, Guayue Peak as its west terrace and Cuiyan Peak as its central terrace, and because its peak tops are platform-shaped, it is thus named Mt. Wutai (five platforms). With no sizzling weather in summer and with cool, and pleasant days throughout the year, it is also called Mt. Qingliang (mount of coolness). Natural peaks and deep valleys, ancient pines and brooks, and temples, halls and pavilions built by architects and builders in the past dynasties together form the magnificent scenery of Mt. Wutai.

Mt Wutai has a long history, Judging from the ancient sites, Chinese ancestors began to labor and thrive here as early as the New Stone Age. During the Northern Wei Dynasty and with the rise of Buddhism, there emerged the first peak for the construction of temples at Mt. Wutai. Of these temples, the Dafulingjiu Temple, covering about 1,000 mu of land, is the largest among the more than 200 temples in the mountains. Buddhism reached its pinnacle during the Sui and the Tang dynasties, and there were more than 360 temples in Mt. Wutai at that time.

At present, there are about 50 Buddhist temples in Mt. Wutai which are still kept intact, Taihuai Town is the place where temples concentrate, including the Xiantong Temple, Tayuan Temple and the Pusa Ding (Buddha Top). Some of these temples are finely structured and built, with fine engravings and magnificent paintings. There are grandiose halls, high rising pagodas and solemn screen walls, archways, finely-engraved railings and stairways. They reflect, from different angles, Chinese achievements of brick-stone buildings in the ancient time. The Dabai Pagoda in the Tayuan Temple, the representative among them, is 56.3 metres in height. The pagoda is imposing and perpendicular, and its foundation is solid and broad. It is surrounded by winding corridors and is known as symbol of Mt. Wutai.

1997年特种邮票《五台古刹》
国家邮政局1997年7月26日发行《五台古刹》特种邮票1套6枚。
（6-1）T 台怀镇寺庙群 40 分 2581.75万枚
（6-2）T 南禅寺大殿 50 分 3053.75万枚
（6-3）T 佛光寺东大殿 50 分 3053.75万枚
（6-4）T 显通寺铜殿 150 分 2625.75万枚
（6-5）T 菩萨顶 150 分 2625.75万枚
（6-6）T 镇海寺 200 分 2581.75万枚

志号名称：1997-11T
版别：胶印
整版枚数：40 枚
全套面值：6.40元
齿孔度数：12 度
邮票规格：50×30毫米
设计者：阎炳武、杨文清
印制机构：辽宁省沈阳邮电印刷厂

五台山位于中国山西省的佛教圣地五台山，古塔林立，庙宇云集，形成了庞大的佛教建筑群。据载东汉永平年间即建有佛寺，唐代已具规模，至清代达到鼎盛。五台古刹气势宏伟，形式多样，是中国古代建筑的稀世宝库。

山西五台山文殊菩萨道场、浙江普陀山观音菩萨道场、四川峨眉山普贤菩萨道场和安徽九华山地藏王菩萨道场，合称中国佛教四大名山。山西向有“中国古代建筑文化宝库”之称，俗语说：“地下文物在陕西，地面文物看山西”，遍布山西全省旧石器文化遗址、古代建筑等数量居全国第一。而五台山寺庙建筑又较早，数量也较大。早在东汉明帝永平十一年(公元68年)就在这里建造寺庙。此后，魏、齐、隋、唐、宋、元、明、清屡经修建扩建，形成规模宏大的寺庙建筑群。现存较好的寺庙50余处，建筑巍峨壮观，其规模在全国也是第一位的。五台古刹气势宏伟，形式多样，是中国古代建筑的稀世宝库。

1997年7月26日，为了展示中华民族悠久的文化遗产，邮电部发行了《五台古刹》特种邮票，全套6枚。