Taiwan 2015 - Spring Brocade

The Masterpiece: Spring Brocade by Giuseppe Castiglione

The central artwork on this sheet is "Spring Brocade" (錦春圖 - Jǐn Chūn Tú), painted by the famed Italian Jesuit missionary Giuseppe Castiglione (known in China by his court name, Lang Shining / 郎世寧).

Serving under three Qing dynasty emperors, Castiglione pioneered a unique painting style that combined Western perspective and chiaroscuro with traditional Chinese ink-and-wash brushwork. Spring Brocade highlights this mastery:

• A striking golden pheasant with brilliant crimson and gold plumage is perched atop a moss-covered garden rock.

• Adjacent to it sits a gentle dove, balanced against delicate white spring blossoms and lush foliage.

• In Chinese symbolism, the golden pheasant represents noble character and auspicious fortune, while spring blossoms signify renewal.

A Tactile Medium: Printed on Silk

What makes this issue a standout in any collection is its physical production. Rather than traditional stamp paper, Chunghwa Post produced this sheet using silk cloth laminate.

When viewed closely, the subtle woven texture of the silk shines through the print, directly imitating the surface of ancient silk handscrolls. This gives the colors a warm, textured depth that standard paper simply cannot replicate.