J179, 2200th Anniv. of Peasant Uprising Led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang《 陈胜、吴广起义2200周年》

Stamp Title: 2200th Anniv. of Peasant Uprising Led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang
Serial number: J179
Values in set: 1
Denomination: 20 fen
Date of issue: July 7, 1991
Designer: Jiang Weijie, Li Qingfa
Size of stamps: 40*27 mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 56 (7*8)
Printing process: photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Background
Chen Sheng-Wu Guang Uprising was the first large-scale peasant uprising in the Chinese history, which led to the downfall of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BC).

In 210BC, Qin Emperor Shihuang died on his inspection travel. The eunuch Zhao Gao wrote a faked letter to Fu Su by what the deceased emperor ordered Fu Su to commit suicide, and his younger brother Hu Hai, the deceased emperor’s favorite, was installed as Second Emperor. He was a cool-hearted and cruel ruler and in order to keep secret of Qin Emperor Shihuang’s mausoleum, he plugged up the exit and killed all the workers in it. Already in his first year, rebellions of the old nobility and peasantry broke out.

In 209BC, Hu Hai, the Second Emperor, ordered 900 people in the Huaihe River Rigion to Yuyang (today’s Minyun in Beijing) to keep guard. It was July when it rained a lot. When people arrived in Dazexiang (southwest in today’s Suxian County in Anhui Province), it began to rain cats and dogs; and they were bound to be late. According to the laws at that time, those who failed to observe deadlines would be sentenced to death. People had no other choice but to rise up in revolt.

Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were both from Henan Province. They led the peasants to attack and occupy finally the Chen County (today’s Hengyang in Henan Province), and they established their own regime of Zhangchu. Then their army sent westward by Chen Sheng to fight against Qin army was defeated by Zhang Han. Later, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were murdered by their subordination. And the rest of the army was surrendered to Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. In 206BC, the Qin Dynasty came to an infamous end and the glorious dynasty fell victim to the fear and mistrust bred by its own despotic excesses.

J179 陈胜、吴广起义2200周年
邮票画面主图是安徽省宿县（即秦朝时蕲县）涉故台起义旧址外的一座雕像。这座雕像以花岗岩雕成。造型古朴，气势雄浑，生动展现出古代农民英雄冲决罗网、一往无前的豪迈气概。

1991.7.7。影写版。P11。 40mm*27mm。 56(7*8)。[G]。
[A]阎玉敏、阎玉琨。[D]姜伟杰、李庆发。 北京邮票厂。

秦二世元年（前209）秋，秦朝政府征发闾左贫民屯戍渔阳，戍卒900人行至蕲县大泽乡，为大雨所阻，不能如期到达，按律当斩。屯长陈胜、吴广组织戍卒杀掉押解他们的秦朝军官，举行起义，揭开了秦末农民战争的序幕。