1998-13, Shennongjia《神农架》

Stamp Iitle： Shennongjia
Serial number: 1998-13
Values in set: 4
(4-1), Peak, 50 fen, 50*30mm
(4-2), Gorge, 50 fen, 50*30mm
(4-3), Primitive Forest, 150 fen, 50*30mm
(4-4), Grassland on yhe Mountain, 150 fen, 50*30mm

Date of issue: June 6, 1998
Designers: Xu Yongmin; Liu Shouxiang; Wang Yong; Song Kejing
Size of stamp: 50*30mm
Perforation: 12.5
Sheet composition: 20
Printing process: offset

A legend goes that Shennong, Emperor Yandi, once erected a hatch at a beautiful and mysterious place to gather medicinal herbs, and this place was later named Shennongjia.

Shennongjia consists of a group of mountains and hills in the western part of Hubei Province and between the Yangtze River and the Hanshui River. Shennongjia is famous for its high mountains. At Shennong Peak, the main peak, there is snow, storm, cloud and mist, as well as shooting stone forest and ground covered with mosses all year round, which constitute a perfect picture of primitive scenery. The mountain slope is divided into three levels: the lower level is the green bamboo belt, the middle level is the dark green fir belt, and the upper level is the bright azalea forest belt with bright and adorable flowers. Shennongjia is also famous for its gorges and valleys. The numerous gorges and valleys, with streams running at the bottom, form a flawless painting of the mountain and water. Shennongjia, with beautiful scenery, is also called a “green treasure house” and a “forest park”. Here roam hundreds of rare, precious and strange animals, grow such trees as dove trees and bare firs in the primeval forest, under Grade 1 State Protection and also golden monkeys, deer and whitened animals such as white bears and white turtles. As a state-level forests and wildlife reservation, Shennongjia is called the “amiable home of man and the nature” with its unique mountains, rivers and valleys, abundant animal and plant resources as well as numerous mysterious natural phenomena.

1998年特种邮票《神农架》
国家邮政局1998年6月6日发行《神农架》特种邮票1套4枚。
（4-1）T 山峰 50分 3999.9万枚
（4-2）T 峡谷 50分 3999.9万枚
（4-3）T 原始森林 150分 3199.9万枚
（4-4）T 高原草甸 150分 3199.9万枚

志号名称：1998-13T
版别：胶印
整版枚数：20(5×4)
全套面值：4.00元
齿孔度数：12.5度
邮票规格：50×30毫米
设计者：徐勇民、刘寿祥、王涌、宋克静
印制机构：北京邮票厂

神农架，位于湖北、陕西、四川三省的边界，南濒长江，北望武当山，是大巴山脉和秦岭山脉交结的地方，主峰大神农架即神农顶，海拔3105米，是华中地区最高峰，有’华中屋脊’之称。神农架内重峦叠嶂，山高谷深，地势高耸，有为数众多的、极具特色的高山，如金猴岭、武山、送郎山、老君山、燕子垭、天门垭、巴东垭等。

寒冷、潮湿、天气多变，是神农架气候的主要特征。这种温凉阴湿的气候，为多种类型的林木，特别是冷杉林和针阔叶混交林的生长，提供了十分有利的生长条件。使得保存了较完好的原始森林群落，这些原始的自然风貌和古老珍稀的动植物种类给人经神秘之感。置身于原始森林，林内古木参天，盘根错节，藤萝萦绕，厚苔铺地。加上兽鸣鸟啼，更显得幽深古奥，夏天到这里观光躺在软绵绵的草甸下，仰望蓝天白云，聆听阵阵林涛，别有一番情趣。

神农架由于它的喀斯特地貌，境内洞穴密布，叠转迂回，千奇百怪。有万燕栖息的燕子洞，时冷时热的冷热洞，一日三潮的潮水洞，盛夏冰封的冰洞，常年刮风的风洞，雷响出鱼的鱼洞，吞烟吐雾的云雾洞，树蛙成群的青蛙洞，悠扬悦耳的音乐洞，绝壁生花的水帘洞，水晶宫似的三宝洞，神秘离奇，令人惊叹。

神农架还拥有丰富的野生动物资源，主峰近峰顶一带的箭竹林，则是白獐、白猴、白麂、白麝、白松鼠、白苏门羚、白蛇和白熊的集中区。神农架之神秘、离奇和引人入胜，更在于这一带有关野人的传闻，不少人冒险探询，但仍然还是一个未知的谜团，愈发增添了更多的神秘色彩。