Playtime

Children's Day is on the 1st June and China celebrates this by giving their children a day off school just to have fun.  This is what they are doing on these stamps issued for the occasion.  The first is a child and a top in what looks like a jaunty nautical attire.  The middle one is eating candied haw-berries, which are called 'tanghulu'. These are sugar coated haw (hawthorn) berries on a skewer and are a popular winter treat. Their taste is described as a combination of sweet and sour. For a photo of this treat see here.   Lastly a child plays a traffic policeman directing his toy car.

Who does not love a toy windmill and this one looks the business. Next a child listens to caged cricket. Sometimes in China these short lived creatures have elaborate cages to amplify their sound. I'd prefer to listen to them lying in the long grass. Lastly an impressively large sword is being marched across the stamp.

A moment of concentration on embroidery. I think the next one is my favourite, it has so much detail on it. Has he taken off his shoes to jump in a puddle or is the wind in danger of blowing him up in the air?  Lastly a bucket and sand can provide many hours of entertainment.

The designer is Wan Weisheng (b 1932) who produced his first stamps featuring children in 1957 (which are his own favourite issue)  by just going out and watching them play. He went on to produce many other sets including the ones I show in 1963.  There are another 3 in the set but I don't possess them.

Wan Weisheng has produced many stamp sets and one  from the "whole country is red"   issue is famous for selling at a record price in 2009.  Today he has retired and spends his time painting but his stamp designs are so popular that a popular museum is dedicated to his career in stamps, postcards and first day covers. He says that "stamps connect the artist with people around the world"   And I would say with each other too. Happy Sunday Stamps.

An entry to Viridian Postcard's Sunday Stamps theme of - Children's Toys and Games