On Oct 15, 2013, the first-day-cover for the commemorative stamp set “100th Anniversary of the Birth of Comrade Xi Zhongxun” designed by Mr. Yang Jiahuan, associate professor at the School of Fine Arts of Shaanxi Normal University, was released by China National Philatelic Corporation for circulation.

The two-stamp set, composing of two stamps, aims to commemorate the achievements, revolutionary spirit and leadership example of the late proletarian revolutionist Xi Zhongxun at his centenary. Xi Zhongxun (October 15, 1913 – May 24, 2002) was a respected Communist elder and former vice premier of China. He is considered to be among the first generation of Chinese leadership. The contributions he made to the Chinese communist revolution and the development of the People's Republic, from the founding of Communist guerilla bases in the northwestern China in the 1930s to initiation of economic liberalization in the southern China in the 1980s, are numerous and broad. He was known for political moderation and for the setbacks he endured in his career. He was imprisoned and purged several times. He is the father of Xi Jinping, the current President of the People's Republic of China and General Party Secretary.

Mr. Yang Jiahuan is vice professor at the School of Fine Arts of Shaanxi Normal University and is an artist specializing in XXX. He spent eight months reviewing archived files and imageries of Xi Zhongxun, in order to gain a deeper and comprehensive understanding of the elder. After trials with several different approaches, he decided to use Chinese ink and wash in portraying the optimistic and open-minded Xi in his elder years.

It is the second time that Mr. Yang was commissioned to design a first-day-cover for China National Philatelic Corporation. In September 2012 he designed another first-day-cover for the stamp set “100th Anniversary of the Birth of General Wei Guoqing”.

Mr. Yang is associate professor of fine arts at the School of Fine Arts of Shaanxi Normal University. He graduated from the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts specializing in Chinese painting, and his recent focus has been on portraits, which won him wide attention and applause.

Original Article From: http://english.snnu.edu.cn/News.htm

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