T164, Imperial Summer Resort《承德避暑山庄》

Stamp Title: Imperial Summer Resort
Serial number: T164
Values in set: 3
(3-1), The Soughing of the Wind in the Pines, 15 fen, 52*31 mm
(3-2), Waterside Pavilion around with Green Water, 20 fen, 52*31 mm
(3-3), Green Island and Maple, 90 fen, 51*31 mm
(1-1), Clear Lake and Green Trees, Cool in Summer, 200 fen, 130*70mm/ 90*40mm mm
Denomination: 125 fen
Date of issue: August 10, 1991
Designer: Xiao Yutian
Size of stamps: 52*31 mm
Size of S/S stamp: 90*40mm
Size of S/S: 130*70mm
Perforation: 11.5.11
Sheet composition: 40 (4*10)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Background
Located in the city of Chengde, northern Hebei Province, the Chengde Imperial Summer Resort was first built in 1703, and it was expanded in 1792. The resort occupies a total area of 5.64 sq. m.

Since it is only 250 km from Beijing, emperors of the Qing Dynasty lived here with their concubines and ministers in the summer months every year. The emperors handled court affairs and received foreign envoys and tribal leaders in this summer resort, which was known as the second capital of the dynasty. The structures of the resort mainly include the Dan Bo Jing Cheng (Detachment and Loyalty) Hall, which is entirely made of valuable nanmu wood, and Wenjin Tower, a library housing the Complete Chinese Classics. In addition, there are also Jinshan (Golden Mountain) Temple and Ruyi (Good Luck) Islet.

There were 12 Lamaist temples located in the north and east of the resort. They were built to symbolize the Qing Dynasty’s policy of strengthening the unity of the country’s various ethnic groups. The existing temples include Puning Temple, Pule Temple, Xumifushou Temple, Putuozongsheng Temple, Anyuan Temple and Shuxiang Temple.

T164 承德避暑山庄
（1）15分 万壑松风 2178.7万枚
（2）20分 水榭环碧 2155.7万枚
（3）90分 青风绿屿 1744.2万枚
发行日期：1991.8.10。影写版。52mm×31mm。40（4×10）。肖玉田。
印刷: 北京邮票厂。
（1）（2）P11.5×11 。（3）P11×11.5 。

避暑山庄，又称“热河行宫”、“承德离宫”，即皇帝离京城后居住之处。位于河北省东北部的承德地区，是中国现存最大的古典园林，面积达560余万平方米，仅清康熙、乾隆二帝命名的景点就有72处，修建时间长达80多年。它不仅是皇帝的避暑胜地，还有着“整军经武”、“请戎绥远”的政治目的。历史上，此地曾一度成为清王朝的第二个政治中心。避暑山庄的整体风貌似中国地理环境的缩形—-西北多山而东南多水，北部呈开阔地，抉取了中国古典园林“南秀北雄”之美。

全套邮票共3枚。
3-1为“万壑松风”。设计者以巨石、高大傲岸的古松，突出了此景的“雄”，远山近水又显示出避暑山庄的宏旷。
3-2为“水榭环碧”。画面表现的是山庄的湖泊区，刻画出此景妩媚幽曲的风韵，以“秀”色见长。
3-3为“青枫绿屿”。描绘的是山峦的景色，画面雄中藏秀，刚中寓柔，将山庄兼具的“南秀北雄”之美充分表现出来。
3枚邮票均采用中国画工笔重彩技法，在色彩富丽、明快、饱满、响亮的基础上，追求清谧、雅逸的风格，又有现代的装饰变形。以绿、蓝、青、紫的冷色调，点出“避暑”的主要特色。