China Military Stamps

Given the pervasive military undertone of the People Republic of China (PRC), it will come as no surprise that military theme, especially that of the Army, have been widely used in postal stamps issued by the PRC government. China military stamps are a fascinating aspect of any china stamp collection. Some people who collect China stamps choose to build their collection just from this part of China’s unique history, and many online providers make it a point to make these stamps available.

Beginning with depictions of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen at the advent of the Republic of China in the early 1900’s, stamps with Chinese rulers and exaltation of the military and its heroics have been prevalently employed throughout the history of China stamps.

Upon the ascension of the Communists in 1950, depictions of Chairman Mao Zedong became commonplace in Chinese stamp releases, usually accompanied by military elements. Reverence for the Army and Army leaders were an important theme of military stamps released during the Cultural Revolution, 1966-1976.

And in fact, the military influence is so embedded in stamp collecting that military historians will often find themselves building a China Stamp collection as well, without even realizing they have picked up a new hobby.

The intertwining of military and political influences in the Chinese governmental system of the past automatically assured that much of the People Republic of China postage stamp content would reflect military subjects. As members of the ruling political party could also be military officers, it was (and still is) not uncommon for stamps to be issued commemorating older leaders from the early days of the PRC who died.

Collecting China military stamps can be rewarding if only because the Soviet realism imagery made famous in communism’s heyday is quickly becoming a collectable genre unto itself. Today, only a few regimes still exist in the world that employ muscular military themes in their governmental functions. Military stamps from China’s early days are among the most well collected of the philatelic world.

If you are just starting a China stamps collection, China military stamps represent an intriguing facet of this hobby. It is a great starting point for focusing your energy, and our stamp suppliers will not let you down. We do everything we can to bring all of our great resources together to ensure you can find both the classics and rare China stamps to make your collection complete.