Stamp Title: Han Xizai’s Party Picture
Serial number: T158
Values in set: 5
Date of issue: November 20, 1990
Denomination: 250 fen
Designers: Wang Huming
Size of stamps: 60*34mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 20 (5*4)
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Water colour block printing, a type of block printing, is employed to reproduce famous works of painting and calligraphy. The art has a long history in China. In 1900, the world’s oldest known book printed by engraved blocks came to light from the Dunhuang Grottoes in the form of the 1,100-year-old version of the Prajnaparamita (or Diamond) Sutra produced in A.D. 868 under the Tang Dynasty, now kept in the British Museum in London. During the reign of Tianqi (1621-1627) of the Ming Dynasty, a colour printing process called douhan was perfected for the first time to produce coloured pictures by means of separate blocks, each printing a different colour. The celebrated horizontal scroll “Han Xizai’s Party” by the 10th-century artist Gu Hongzhong, measuring over 4 metres long, is noted for its refined portrayal of characters and intricate combination of tones.

T158 韩熙载夜宴图
（1）50分 五代 南唐韩熙载夜宴图 1706.85万枚
（2）50分 五代 南唐韩熙载夜宴图 1706.85万枚
（3）50分 五代 南唐韩熙载夜宴图 1706.85万枚
（4）50分 五代 南唐韩熙载夜宴图 1706.85万枚
（5）50分 五代 南唐韩熙载夜宴图 1706.85万枚

1990.12.20。胶版。P11。60mm×34mm。20（5×4）。5枚连印。王虎鸣。

《韩熙载夜宴图》，现珍藏于北京故宫博物院。全长三米，共分五段，每一段画面以屏风相隔。第一段描绘韩熙载在宴会进行中与宾客们听歌女弹琵琶的情景，生动地表现了韩熙载和他的宾客们全神贯注侧耳倾听的神态。第二段描绘韩熙载亲自为舞女击鼓，所有的宾客都以赞赏的神色注视着韩熙载击鼓的动作，似乎都陶醉在美妙的鼓声中。第三段描绘宴会进行中间的休息场面，韩熙载坐在床边，一面洗手，一面和几个女子谈话。第四段是描绘韩熙载坐听管乐的场面。韩熙载盘膝坐在椅子上，好像在跟一个女子说话，另有五个女子做吹奏的准备，她们虽然坐在一排，但各有各的动作，毫不呆板。第五段是描绘韩熙载的众宾客与歌女们谈话的情景。

此画中的主人翁韩熙载，五代时潍州北海人。后唐同光年举进士，文章书画，名震一时。因父亲光嗣因事坐诛，熙载逃奔江南，投顺南唐，历事李升、李璟、李煜三主，官至中书侍郎、光政殿学士。韩熙载定居南京后的寓所，也即此画的发生地在今南京中华门一带，《同治上江志》载：“戚家山，在江宁城南聚宝门外，南唐韩熙载居此”。