1997-21, The Outlaws of the Marsh- A Literary Masterpiece of Ancient China (5th series)《中国古典文学名著–水浒传》

Stamp Title: The Outlaws of the Marsh- A Literary Masterpiece of Ancient China (5th series)
Scott No: 2822, 2823, 2824, 2815, 2826
Serial number: 1997-21
Values in set: 4
(4-1), Huyuan Zhuo Coaxes Guan Sheng in a Moonlit Night, 40 fen, 54*40mm
(4-2), Lu Junyi Captures Shi Wengong, 50 fen, 54*40mm
(4-3), Yan Qing Cleverly Defeats Sky-Supporting Pillar, 50 fen, 54*40mm
(4-4), Thunderbolt Defeats Imperial Army, 150 fen, 54*40mm
Date of issue: December 22,1997
Designers: Zhou Feng
Size: 54*40mm
Size of the S/S Stamp: 60*90mm
Size of the S/S: 120*135mm
(1-1), The Heroes of Mount Liangshan Take Seats in Order of Rank, 800 fen, 120*135mm/ 60*90mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 28
Printing process: gravure

“The Water Margin”, also called “Outlaws of the Marsh”, is the representative work of Shi Naian of the late Yuan and the early Ming dynasties. The 108 generals in his novel all have their own unique characters and legends, known to readers of different historical periods.

On December 20, 1987, China issued stamps T.123 “The Water Margin-China’s Classical Literature” (Group1). Groups 2,3,4, and 5 were issued on July 25, 1989, November 19, 1991, August20, 1993 and this year separately. The most typical scenes of the novel were depicted in the 20 stamps and three small sheets. The issuance of “The Water Margin” stamps lasted for 10 years, one of the longest time for China’s serial stamps.

Group 5 stamps will be the last group of “The Water Margin” stamps . They described the ranking of 108 heroes, the peak time for the uprising of the heroes of the margin. Textual research shows that there were only a few stories about the heroes of the margin such as Song Jiang, which circulated among the people from the failure of Song Jiang’s uprising to the writing of “The Water Margin”. The folk legends, ballads and Zaju (poetic dramas) had enriched the heroes’ stories and increased the number of heroes from 36 to 72, and finally to 108, creating a “36” and “72” hero groups.The stamps of “The Water Margin” were issued when China started to reform its stamp designing system. These stamps were designed on the basis of a collection of solicited contributions from the society. The designers, who conducted a complete and thorough study on the famous classical novel, redisplayed the peasants’ uprising. These stamps have been well received among the academic circle and the philatelists and regarded as a set of good stamps depicting the ancient Chinese classic novels.

1997年特种邮票《中国古典文学名著–水浒传》（第五组）
国家邮政局1997年12月22日发行《中国古典文学名著–水浒传》（第五组）特种邮票1套4枚，小型张1枚。
（4-1）T 呼延灼月夜赚关胜 40 分 2674.3万枚
（4-2）T 卢俊义活捉史文恭 50 分 3252.5万枚
（4-3）T 燕青智扑擎天柱 50 分 3043.9万枚
（4-4）T 轰天雷大破官军 150 分 2814.3万枚
小型张 梁山英雄排座次 800 分 2224.2万枚

志号名称：1997-21T
版别：影写
整版枚数：28 枚
全套面值：2.90 +8.00 元
齿孔度数：11 度
邮票规格：54 × 40 毫米
小型张：邮票规格:60×90 毫米、外形规格120×135 毫米
设计者：周峰
印制机构：北京邮票厂

P.S. 中国古典文学名著《水浒传》邮票从1987年12月20日至1997年12月22日分五组发行，全套邮票20枚小型张3枚，设计者周峰。邮票内容包括了《水浒传》前八十回，即宋江受招安前的故事精华。如鲁智深倒拔垂杨柳、林冲风雪山神庙、武松景阳岗打虎、智取生辰纲、江州劫法场、三打祝家庄、英雄排座次等重要情节，大体反映了《水浒传》故事的全貌。
　(4-1)为“呼延灼月夜赚关胜”。选自第六十三回“呼延灼月夜赚关胜，宋公明雪天擒索超”。呼延灼和关胜原都是朝廷命官，先后被派去征剿梁山好汉，归降了梁山的呼延灼按军师吴用之计，假意重新归降朝廷，骗得关胜的信任，将其引入梁山好汉的包围圈里活捉，还以自己的现身说法说服关胜入伙。画面描绘了双鞭呼延灼和大刀关胜并辔而行，奔向梁山营寨的情景。
(4-2)为“卢俊义活捉史文恭”。选自第六十七回“宋公明夜打曾头市，卢俊义活捉史文恭”。卢俊义原是大名府的员外，家产殷厚，武艺高强。后被奸人所害，打入死牢。宋江闻讯，率众好汉将他救出，而上了梁山。适逢梁山好汉段景住、杨林、石勇购来200匹好马，途中被劫往曾头市。晁天王晁盖不久前就是被曾头市用毒箭射死的，其教头就是史文恭。宋江为报此仇，兼解劫马之恨，立即发五路军马攻打曾头市。吴用计败曾氏兄弟，史文恭亦被卢俊义活捉。
(4-3)为“燕青智扑擎天柱”。选自第七十四回“燕青智扑擎天柱，李逵寿张乔坐衙”。太原相扑任原已连续两年在泰安州岱岳庙前设擂，从未遇到敌手，自以为天下无匹，便自号“擎天柱”，并挂出“拳打南山猛虎，脚踢北海苍龙”的招牌，今年是第三年，恰遇燕青由此经过，便将此牌砸碎，并与任原对阵。燕青心灵机巧，而任原乃一介轻狂武夫，只几个回合，便将任原头朝下、脚朝上，来个“鹁鸽旋”，直撺下台去。
(4-4)为“轰天雷大破官军”。选自《水浒传》第77回至80回。梁山泊英雄排座次后，声威大振，使朝廷大为惊恐，急忙派太尉陈宗善前往梁山招安，被李逵扯碎诏书，陈太尉抱头鼠窜而去。于是，朝廷又派枢密使童贯和太尉高俅率大队人马前去征讨。梁山好汉设下九宫八卦阵，使用十面埋伏计，二赢童贯，三败高俅，大败官军。特别是轰天雷凌振制造的火炮在战斗中大显神威，真是“炮似轰雷山石裂，绿林深处显戈矛”，使官军几乎全军复没。
小型张为“梁山英雄排座次”。选自第七十一回“梁山泊英雄排座次，宋公明慷慨话宿愿”。表现的是诸战告捷后，各路好汉聚首梁山义军旗下，一百单八将按上山先后和贡献大小排座次的盛况。

中国古典文学名著《水浒传》以农民战争为主要题材，成功地塑造了以宋江为首的梁山英雄人物群像。《水浒传》历史地表现了农民起义发生发展和失败的全过程，深刻地揭示了阶级压迫是这场农民起义战争的社会根源。高俅等奸臣贪官对人民进行压榨和迫害，激起了人民大众复仇之火，逐渐发展为燎原之势。小说热情地歌颂了在这一过程中涌现出来的宋江、林冲、鲁智深、武松、李逵等梁山英雄，以及“八方共域，异姓一家”的农民革命理想，形象地展示了这次农民起义演变为悲剧的内在历史原因。除了李逵、林冲、武松、鲁智深、阮小五等为数不多的人反对招安之外，以宋江为首的绝大多数人存在着浓厚的忠君思想。他们仇恨和反对的只是高俅等奸臣和贪官污吏。因此他们的造反尽管也把封建王朝搞得天翻地覆，却不是要创造一个新的社会制度。梁山起义的悲剧也正是表现了封建社会里农民起义这样一种无法超越的历史局限性。施耐庵如实地反映了农民起义本身这个不可克服的缺点，从而生动地描写了梁山起义由小到大、由弱到强而又转为失败的全过程，深刻地揭示了农民起义的规律性。《水浒传》是中国文学史上第一部全面真实地反映农民起义的伟大作品。

1997年12月22日，为了反映中华民族伟大的古典文学遗产，邮电部发行了《中国古典文学名著—水浒传(第五组)》特种邮票，全套4枚。