China Post issued a set of five commemorative stamps featuring Chinese national heroes of modern times, namely Guan Tianpei, Lin Zexu, Feng Zicai, Liu Yongfu and Deng Shichang, with a denomination of 6 yuan (0.878 U.S. dollars), on July 29, 2018.

After the Opium War in 1840, a large number of people with lofty ideals, represented by Lin Zexu and Guan Tianpei, fought against foreign aggression and oppression, maintained national sovereignty and interests, and became worthy national heroes.

Guan Tianpei (1781-1841), born in Huaian City, east China's Jiangsu Province, was a famous patriotic general in the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). During his tenure as admiral in the Qing Dynasty in Guangdong, Guan gave full support to Lin Zexu's destruction of opium at Humen Beach. After the outbreak of the Opium War, the British army invaded the fort of Humen. Guan led the guards to resist resolutely, and was finally martyred.

Lin Zexu (1785-1850), born in Fuzhou City, south China's Fujian Province, was a great patriot of modern China. He banned opium in Guangdong Province in 1839 and burnt 20,000 boxes of collected opium, about 1.185 million kilograms, in Humen beach. Lin compiled some foreign books and materials, making Chinese people begin to break the shackles of the concept of Huayi, and learn from the West.

Feng Zicai (1818-1903), born in Shawei Village, south China's Guangdong Province (now located in Guangxi Province), was a patriotic general in the late Qing Dynasty. During the Sino-French War of 1883-1885, 70-year-old Feng was named military assistant outside Shanhaiguan Pass. He routed the French army, won the war of Zhen Nanguan, and captured Wenyuan, Lang Son and other key towns.

Liu Yongfu (1837-1917), born in Qinzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province (now located in Guangxi Province), was a patriotic general in the late Qing Dynasty. Liu participated in the Sino-French War with his black flag troops in 1883, and repeatedly defeated the French army. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, he was ordered to fight the Japanese army in Taiwan. After Taiwan fell, Liu, as an anti-Japanese leader, continued to lead local masses to resist Japan.

Deng Shichang (1849-1894), born in Panyu District, south China's Guangdong Province, was a patriotic general in the late Qing Dynasty. He was commander of the North Atlantic Fleet during the First Sino-Japanese War. Deng fought bravely against the Japanese army in the battle of the Yellow Sea, and eventually sacrificed his own life for the cause.

The set of stamps was created using traditional Chinese painting techniques. The first stamp depicts Guan Tianpei standing on the top of a battery, holding a sword, and commanding the battle of Humen. The second shows the historical scene of Lin Zexu's destruction of opium at Humen Beach and the third one shows Feng Zicai jumping from the wall of Zhennanguan, and rushing against the French army. The fourth displays Liu Yongfu's foray into Lintao County and defeating the French army, while in the fifth stamp, Deng Shichang holds a telescope in hand, calmly commanding  the  soldiers of the North Atlantic Fleet.

This set of stamps was designed by the young painter Meng Fancong and was printed by the Beijing Stamp Printing House using a heliographic printing process.

Offer for sale: This set of stamps is available at designated postal outlets, the online philatelic shop of China Post (http://jiyou.11185.cn), China Philately mobile client and the China Philately Wechat Mall since they were issued on July 29, 2018. This set of stamps will be sold for six months.