Qu Yuan commemorative stamps issued to mark Dragon Boat Festival

A stamp collector shows a newly issued stamp on Qu Yuan. [Photo by Wang Jiankang/Asianewsphoto]

China Post held a ceremony to mark the issuing of a set of stamps commemorating Qu Yuan (340 - 278 BC) in his hometown, Zigui county in Central China's Hubei province, on Monday, the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.

The set of two stamps, together with a sheetlet, has pictures of Qu Yuan, a well-known Chinese poet and minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period between 475 and 221 BC.

The stamps have a total face value of 8.4 yuan ($1.3).

The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of Qu, who drowned himself in the Miluo River after he was banished and accused of treason for his well-intended advice to the king.

Legend has it that upon learning of his death, locals raced boats to find his body in the river and dropped rice in the water in the hope that it would distract fish from eating Qu's body. These became traditions observed to this day.

China Post has previously issued stamps related to Qu Yuan in 1953 and 1994.

Zhao Yuguang, deputy general manager of China Post's Hubei branch, said that it is rare for ancient Chinese figures to be printed on stamps more than once and this shows people's respect of Qu's patriotism and noble personality.

A stamp collector shows newly issued stamps on Qu Yuan. [Photo by Wang Jiankang/Asianewsphoto]