Monthly Archives: January 2012

Cats in Pingsi, Taiwan

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About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: Personal Greeting Stamps –Travel in Taiwan
Issue Date ::: 2011-09-27
Detail ::: So as to provide its customers with more design options, Chunghwa Post is following up with a new set of personal greeting stamps, centering on travel in Taiwan with ten designs. Each of the designs is printed in two denominations: NT$3.5 and NT$5 with different colors for the inscriptions and the denominations. Using the concept of collages of various types for the design, the stamps possess a distinct texture and charm and take us on a round-the-island tour to discover the beauty of Taiwan’s famous scenic spots. The designs follow:

    1. The National Palace Museum (NT$5): A treasure trove of important Chinese historical and cultural artifacts, the museum is a must-see attraction in Taiwan.
    2. The Taipei 101 (NT$5): The Taipei 101 fireworks display is the highlight of the New Year’s countdown celebration in Taipei. Watching beautiful fireworks explode in the sky provides a wonderful memory.
    3. Sun Moon Lake (NT$5): The beauty of Sun Moon Lake lies in its tranquility. The stamp depicts a land of enchantment, where a thin veil of fog blurs the human silhouettes on small rowing boats. The scene brings to mind the carefree joys of drinking alone under the moon as described in Li Bai’s poetry.
    4. Yushan (The Jade Mountain) (NT$5): Yushan, an eternal landmark of Taiwan, symbolizes the unswerving determination of the people of Taiwan. Many people, longing for the panoramic views and sense of accomplishment gained from reaching the summit, set climbing Yushan as one of their lifetime goals.
    5. Alishan (NT$5): Its sea of clouds, forests, cherry blossoms, narrow-gauge trains, and magnificent sunrises make Alishan a favorite attraction among travelers.
    6. Love River in Kaohsiung (NT$5): After environmental restoration, Love River has become a new spotlighted feature of the city. The dragon boat races held during the Dragon Boat Festival captures perfectly the passion and energy of southern Taiwan.
    7. Kenting (NT$5): Kenting is a hot tourist destination in the summer. Lazily sunbathing under the blue sky or sitting under an umbrella is a perfect way to enjoy a hot summer day on the beach.
    8. The Liushidan Mountain (NT$5): The yellow sea of daylilies here creates a mystical Shangri-La in Hualian. The stamp depicts a plainly dressed farming woman happily and diligently picking daylily flowers.
    9. The Taroko National Park (NT$5): The Park offers a treasure chest of geological resources. Two visitors joyously gesturing on a winding trail while marveling at the craftsmanship of Mother Nature.
    10. Jiufen (NT$5): To enjoy a drizzling day in this mountain town is to sip tea in a tea house while gazing upon tourists strolling down the quaint street outside.

Thanks ::: Hsin-Ling (sandyjoyce)

Chinese Dragon

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About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: Long-horned Beetles Postage Stamps (II)
Issue Date ::: 2011-01-26
Detail ::: Previously issued a set of stamps on long-horned beetles on May 21, 2010, this Post is following up with a second set of four stamps, featuring Aeolesthes oenochrous, Doliops similis, Thermistis taiwanensis, and Dorysthenes pici. The designs follow:

    1. Aeolesthes oenochrous (NT$1.00): Commonly known as the Wu-she blood-spotted long-horned beetle in English, the body of this large beetle is densely covered with shiny red hairs. The last three segments of the male’s back-sweeping antennae extend beyond the tips of its elytra, whereas the female’s antennae are shorter than its body. It is found in broad-leaved forests between 600 and 1,500 meters above sea level in mid and northern Taiwan, as well as in China.
    2. Doliops similis (NT$3.50): This species is a mimic of the hard-shelled Pachyrrhynchus. This attractive beetle has a black body covered with iridescent blue markings. It has large femurs and tarsi. An endemic species of Taiwan, it can only be found on Orchid Island.
    3. Thermistis taiwanensis (NT$10.00): This beetle has a black body, with a yellow blotch on the front of its head, a yellow band on each side of its pronotum, and tubercles on the outer edges of the pronotum. Its elytra are black with yellow bands. Its antennae are black. Its femurs are yellow and the remainder of its legs and claws are black. Endemic to Taiwan, this species is found in broad-leaved forests between 1,200 and 1,500 meters above sea level.
    4. Dorysthenes pici (NT$32.00): It has a dark brown, almost black body and a very developed mandible. There are two serrations on its pronotal edge. The male’s antennae extend over half way down its elytra, whereas the female’s only reach the length of one third of its elytra. Endemic to Taiwan, the species is found in broad-leaved forests between 300 and 1,400 meters above sea level in northern Taiwan.

Issue Name ::: Flowers Postage Stamps (III)
Issue Date ::: 2010-01-20
Detail ::: Chunghwa Post issued its first and second sets of definitive stamps on flowers on March 12 and October 14, 2009, and now it is following up with a third set, featuring Michelia champaca, Duranta repens cv. Lass, Ixora chinensis, and Lagerstroemia speciosa. The designs follow:

    1. Michelia champaca (NT$7.00): This medium-sized evergreen tree of the family Magnoliaceae is commonly known as a yellow jade orchid tree in English. Its yellow orange flowers are produced singly from the axis of a leaf. The sweet smelling flowers are often seen as a symbol of luck, suggesting “a house full of gold and jade.” It prefers a warm climate, and can be planted in the ground or in a large container. 
    2. Duranta repens cv. Lass (NT$15.00): This evergreen shrub is a member of the family Verbenaceae. Its leaves are oval in shape. Its flowers are arranged in terminal or auxiliary racemes. Its tubular corolla is blue-purple with lavender edges. The petals are slightly curved and appear to look like lace. The fruit, growing in yellow when ripe, is poisonous.
    3. Ixora chinensis (NT$20.00): This evergreen shrub of the family Rubiaceae is commonly known as Chinese ixora or red ixora in English. Its leaves are either ovovate or elliptical. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal umbel. The orange red corolla is slender. Its long flowering season and its tolerance of drought and heat make it an ideal ornamental or hedge plant.
    4. Lagerstroemia speciosa (NT$34.00): This large deciduous tree of the family Lythraceae is commonly known as queen crepe-myrtle in English. Its leaves are elliptical to long elliptical. Its terminal panicle is elegant with either hot pink or violet crinkled petals. The salient feature of this tree is that its blossoms are rose red during the day and purple at nights.

Thanks ::: Joshua (kofat)

Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

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About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: TAIPEI 2008 – 21st Asian International Stamp Exhibition
Issue Date ::: 2008-03-07
Detail ::: The TAIPEI 2008 – 21st Asian International Stamp Exhibition will be held on March 7 – 11, 2008 at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 3. To commemorate this philatelic gala, this Post is issuing a set of four stamps and a souvenir sheet featuring four ancient bird paintings from the National Palace Museum collection: Plum Blossoms and Solitary Bird by Pien Wen-chin, Ming Dynasty; Apricot Blossoms and Peacocks by Lü Chi, Ming Dynasty; Wild Duck by a Brook by Ch’en Lin, Yüan Dynasty; and Bamboo and Shrike by Li An-chung, Sung Dynasty. With the aim of providing an innovative design that makes the issue highly collectible, a teardrop-shaped perforation has been punched at the center of the left and right sides of each stamp on the souvenir sheet. The stamp designs follow:

    1. Plum Blossoms and Solitary Bird by Pien Wen-chin, Ming Dynasty (NT$5.00): A great scholar and poet, he was also a master of the flower-and-bird genre of painting. This painting depicts a yellow-browed bunting perched on a plum branch, craning its neck as it looks around. The rendering of the bird’s fluffy plumage and the tree’s gnarled branches accurately conveys not only the appearance but also the spirit of the subject matter.
    2. Apricot Blossoms and Peacocks by Lü Chi, Ming Dynasty (NT$9.00): The white apricot blossoms and the red peonies complement each other, imparting a cheerful spring atmosphere. Lü employed the circled petal technique for the apricot blossoms, and the plumage of the peacocks shows meticulous rendering. 
    3. Wild Duck by a Brook by Ch’en Lin, Yüan Dynasty (NT$13.00): The painting depicts a wild duck under a hibiscus bush at the water’s edge. The brushwork for the duck is finely executed without appearing overly meticulous. The brushstrokes for the water ripples and the hibiscus bush demonstrate great vitality and less attention to detail. The painting is a celebration of the joys of nature.
    4. Bamboo and Shrike by Li An-chung, Sung Dynasty (NT$15.00): Li An-chung was a noted master of painting flowers, birds and animals. He was particularly noted for his goule (contour drawing) technique. The painting shows a shrike perched on a thorny branch. The bird’s hooked beak clearly shows that it is a carnivore. The bamboo leaves under the bird were painted using the double outline technique, for which thin contour lines are drawn first and then filled in with color. The execution of the brushwork is refined and the choice of colors graceful.

Issue Name ::: Label－Def.8 GIANT PANDA POSTAGE LABELS
Issue Date ::: 2010-11-05

Issue Name ::: Birds of Taiwan Postage Stamps (II)
Issue Date ::: 2008-01-30
Detail ::: After issuing the first of the “Birds of Taiwan” definitive stamp series on November 3, 2007, Taiwan Post followed up with a second set of four stamps, featuring Dicrurus aeneus, Lanius schach, Dendrocitta formosae and Pycnonotus sinensis. The designs of the stamps follow:

    1. Dicrurus aeneus (NT$1.00): A subspecies endemic to Taiwan, the bird is about 23 centimeters in length. Its whole body is covered in black plumage with a blue metallic sheen. Its tail is fairly long and forked like a fishtail.
    2. Lanius schach (NT$2.50): This common resident bird, about 25 centimeters in length, is a subspecies endemic to Taiwan. It is bluish gray from the crown to the upper back, and its fairly wide black eyeline that extends from its forehead to its nape gives it the appearance of wearing a black mask. Its scapular is reddish brown, and its black flight feathers have a lighter edge. Its throat, breast, and belly are white; its undertail coverts are reddish brown; and its tail feathers are black.
    3. Dendrocitta formosae (NT$10.00): This common resident bird, about 34 centimeters in length, is a subspecies endemic to Taiwan. The coloration of the bird is largely black, gray and brown. Its black hooked beak is thick and powerful and slightly bents downward. Its forehead and cheeks are black and its crown and nape are grayish black. Its wings are black with white wing patches. Its back and breast are chestnut colored and its belly pale gray. Its tail is long and black with gray uppertail coverts and orange brown undertail coverts. 
    4. Pycnonotus sinensis (NT$32.00): This common resident bird, about 18 centimeters in length, is a subspecies endemic to Taiwan. It is mostly yellow-green in color. Its forehead and nape are black and its crown white. There is a round white patch on each of its cheeks. The areas from its lores to its ear coverts and cheeks are brownish black. Its upper breast is pale grayish brown, its back, uppertail coverts and marginal coverts are gray with a touch of yellow green. Its breast and belly are pale gray. Its wings and tail feathers are olive yellow.

Thanks ::: Heather (heather780207)

Taipei 101, Taiwan

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About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: Flowers Postage Stamps (I)
Issue Date ::: 2009-03-12
Detail ::: The colors and shapes of Taiwan’s flowering plants are varied. To introduce the beauty of Taiwan’s flowers, Chunghwa Post is issuing a series of definitive stamps on flowers. The first set of four stamps features the following flowers: Lantana camara, Murraya paniculata, Tabebuia chrysantha and Hibiscus sabdariffa. Details of these stamps are as follows:

    1. Lantana camara (NT$3.50): Lantana camara is an evergreen shrub of the Verbenaceae family. Its leaves are opposite and ovate and both the leaves and stems have unpleasant acrid odors. The flowers are arranged in flat heads. The lantana is a popular ornamental plant because it flowers for a long and sustained period. Its fruit, leaves and stems are poisonous and therefore should not be eaten.
    2. Murraya paniculata (NT$5.00): Also known as orange jasmine or Chinese box, Murraya paniculata is an evergreen shrub of the Rutaceae family. Its small alternate leaves are ovate and glossy. White and campanulate, its corymbose flowers, each with five petals, are highly fragrant. Its wood is fine and hard and suitable for making seals. It is a widely planted ornamental.
    3. Tabebuia chrysantha (NT$12.00): Also known as golden goddess, Tabebuia chrysantha is a deciduous tree of the Bignoniaceae family. Its small leaves are opposite and obovate. Funnel-shaped, its bright yellow corolla are grouped in panicles with wrinkly edges. Care should be taken to avoid touching its flowers or fruit since contact might cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.
    4. Hibiscus sabdariffa (NT$25.00): Also known as rosella, Hibiscus sabdariffa is an annual herbaceous subshrub of the Malvaceae family. Its leaves are alternate and have thick hair on both sides. With petals that are imbricate, the plant’s flowers open light yellow and age to pink. Its large and fleshy calyces are bright red and quite nutritious. The calyces are quite flavorful once they are dried and cooked.

Thanks ::: Gina (ginajoy61)

Cats in Pingsi, Taiwan

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About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: Flowers Postage Stamps (I)
Issue Date ::: 2009-03-12
Detail ::: The colors and shapes of Taiwan’s flowering plants are varied. To introduce the beauty of Taiwan’s flowers, Chunghwa Post is issuing a series of definitive stamps on flowers. The first set of four stamps features the following flowers: Lantana camara, Murraya paniculata, Tabebuia chrysantha and Hibiscus sabdariffa. Details of these stamps are as follows:

    1. Lantana camara (NT$3.50): Lantana camara is an evergreen shrub of the Verbenaceae family. Its leaves are opposite and ovate and both the leaves and stems have unpleasant acrid odors. The flowers are arranged in flat heads. The lantana is a popular ornamental plant because it flowers for a long and sustained period. Its fruit, leaves and stems are poisonous and therefore should not be eaten.
    2. Murraya paniculata (NT$5.00): Also known as orange jasmine or Chinese box, Murraya paniculata is an evergreen shrub of the Rutaceae family. Its small alternate leaves are ovate and glossy. White and campanulate, its corymbose flowers, each with five petals, are highly fragrant. Its wood is fine and hard and suitable for making seals. It is a widely planted ornamental.
    3. Tabebuia chrysantha (NT$12.00): Also known as golden goddess, Tabebuia chrysantha is a deciduous tree of the Bignoniaceae family. Its small leaves are opposite and obovate. Funnel-shaped, its bright yellow corolla are grouped in panicles with wrinkly edges. Care should be taken to avoid touching its flowers or fruit since contact might cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction. 
    4. Hibiscus sabdariffa (NT$25.00): Also known as rosella, Hibiscus sabdariffa is an annual herbaceous subshrub of the Malvaceae family. Its leaves are alternate and have thick hair on both sides. With petals that are imbricate, the plant’s flowers open light yellow and age to pink. Its large and fleshy calyces are bright red and quite nutritious. The calyces are quite flavorful once they are dried and cooked.

Issue Name ::: Orchids of Taiwan Postage Stamps (I)
Issue Date ::: 2007-01-10
Detail ::: Adapting to Taiwan’s extremely varied topography and to its humid tropical and subtropical climate, the family Orchidaceae has evolved a diverse array of species, more numerous than those of any other flora family in Taiwan. Because orchids are elegant, fragrant and tough (able to withstand adverse environmental and climatic conditions), they are often compared to people with noble and incorruptible character. To introduce the beauty of Taiwan orchids, Chunghwa Post has planned a new series of definitive stamps: “Orchids of Taiwan.” The first set will feature four stamps, each showcasing one of the following four species: Phaius tankervilleae, Spiranthes sinensis, Vanda × hybrida and Cattleya sp. The designs of the stamps follow:

    1. Phaius tankervilleae (NT$3.50): A perennial, terrestrial orchid with sympodial growth. The plant uses large and laterally flattened pseudobulbs to store water and nutrients. Its leaves are oblong-lanceolate. It blooms from early spring to early summer. The flower faces downward, resembling a veiled bride, and has a trumpet-shaped lip (labellum).
    2. Spiranthes sinensis (NT$5.00): A terrestrial orchid with linear-lanceolate leaves. The plant favors low-altitude open fields and sunny grasslands. Flowering occurs during spring, when dozens of tiny flowers spiral up its slender spike. Spiranthes sinensis is nicknamed “spiral dragon herb” in Chinese because its flowering spike resembles a “dragon pillar” of Taoist temples. 
    3. Vanda × hybrida (NT$12.00): An epiphytic orchid with a monopodial growth habit. This orchid prefers a warm, sunny and humid environment. The name of the genus -“vanda”- means “a flowering plant that grows on other trees” in Sanskrit. The plant relies on its well-developed aerial roots to take water and nutrients from the air. It has thick erect stems and stiff fleshy leaves. It is drought tolerant and can handle a lot of light.
    4. Cattleya sp. (NT$25.00): An epiphytic orchid with sympodial growth. The plant has stout and thick leaves with large pseudobulbs, which store large quantities of nutrients and water and make it very drought tolerant. The flowers are very large and showy. They come in a vast array of colors, sizes and lip shapes. It has earned a reputation as the “Queen of orchids” among orchid growers.

Issue Name ::: Long-horned Beetles Postage Stamps
Issue Date ::: 2010-05-21
Detail ::: In order to increase the public’s understanding about the long-horned beetles, Chunghwa Post will issue a set of four definitive stamps featuring Erythrus formosanus, Rosalia formosa conviva, Aphrodisium faldermannii yuagii and Anoplophora horsfieldi tonkinensis. The designs follow:

    1. Erythrus formosanus (NT$0.75): This pretty little long-horned beetle has a red body, a black head, black legs and black serrated antennae. There are two black bumps on its nota. Its elytra are red. This species is found in broad-leaved forests from sea level to 1,500 meters.
    2. Rosalia formosa conviva (NT$2.50): This long-horned beetle has a red body, a black head and black antennae and legs. There are four black markings on its nota and several more on its elytra. It is found in mixed forests between 1,500 and 2,300 meters above sea level.
    3. Aphrodisium faldermannii yuagii (NT$5.00): In coloration, these beetles are either yellow-brown or green. Those with yellow-brown coloration have glossy nota, with a black stripe running down the middle, and they have black legs and yellow tarsi. Those with green coloration have inconspicuous lengthwise stripes on their green elytra. The species is found in mixed forests between 1,500 and 2,000 meters above sea level. Because it emits a musky smell, it is also called the “musk long-horned beetle” in Chinese. 
    4. Anoplophora horsfieldi tonkinensis (NT$25.00): This long-horned beetle has a black body and its abdomen is densely covered with fine yellow hair. Both its head and nota have a pair of yellow stripes running lengthwise. There are four yellow markings in each of its elytra. There are some sharp spurs on the outer edges of its prothorax. This widely distributed species is found in broad-leaved forests from sea level to 1,000 meters.

Thanks ::: Tsai Ping (FredioChen)

Gaomei Wetland, Taiwan

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About Postcard (CR#) :::

Gaomei was called Gaomi in the Qing Dynasty and was renamed during the Japanese occupation. The wetlands here are over 300 hectares, but the area is only 1/10 of Dadu River wetlands. The geography is divided into 7 categories, which results in diversified organisms in this area. Gaomei Wetlands is one of the few places that has wild ducks.

Despite the small area, Gaomei Wetlands have special soils mixed with mud and sand. Ecology here breeds diversified organisms of both plants and animals. Research shows that animals here include birds, fishes, crabs and invertebrates.

About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: Flowers Postage Stamps (II)
Issue Date ::: 2009-10-14
Detail ::: Having issued the first set of definitive stamps on flowers on March 12, 2009, Chunghwa Post is going to follow up with a second set, featuring Calliandra emarginata, Bombax ceiba, Delonix regia, and Spathodea campanulata. This set of stamps was organized by Dr. Heng-piao Chin, the former director-general of the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, and Dr. Ting-Fang Hsieh, director of the Floriculture Research Center, Agricultural Research Institute, Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan. The stamps were painted by Mr. Hung-tu Ko, and printed by Central Engraving and Printing Plant in color deep-etch offset. The set of four stamps will be released on October 14, 2009. Details of these stamps are as follows:

    1. Calliandra emarginata (NT$1.00): Calliandra emarginata, or powder puff, is a semi-deciduous shrub of the Fabaceae family. Leaves are bipinnately compound, with oval lanceolate leaflets. The leaflets fold together at night and unfold during the day. The inflorescence is axillary and capitulum. The corolla is semicircular, with dense long filaments, resembling a powder puff. It is a very good ornamental specimen.
    2. Bombax ceiba (NT$2.50): Bombax ceiba, commonly known as cotton tree, is a deciduous tree of the Bombacaceae family. Leaves are palmately compound. Flowers are orange or red, with five petals. The calyx is cup-shaped. It produces a capsule which, when ripe, will burst open and disperse seeds that are covered thickly with cotton-like fibers. The tree has a masculine shape and looks different in all four seasons. One of its salient features is that it blooms before it leafs out.
    3. Delonix regia (NT$10.00): Delonix regia—which is commonly known as royal poinciana, flamboyant, or flame of the forest—is a deciduous tree of the Leguminosae family. Most of them have buttress roots. The tree has an umbrella-shaped crown. Leaves are opposite and bipinnately compound. Each of its flowers, which are arranged in terminal racemes, has five petals, which are bright red with a touch of yellow, and its filaments are slender and red. Because the tree blooms in June, it is often used to symbolize graduation. The royal poinciana is a large tree and mainly used for firewood, or as an ornamental or street tree. 
    4. Spathodea campanulata (NT$32.00): Spathodea campanulata, or fountain tree, is a deciduous tree of the Bignoniaceae family. Leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, with oval leaflets. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal panicle, with the outer buds blooming first. The flowers are orange scarlet, resembling flames on the crown of the tree. The fountain tree loves heat and sun light. It is commonly grown as a street tree and garden specimen.

Thanks ::: Janice (ImJanice)

Jinguashi, Taipei, Taiwan

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About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal)

Issue Name ::: Matzu National Scenic Area Postage Stamps
Issue Date ::: 2004-07-01
Detail ::: To help promote scenic spots in Taiwan and to increase people’s understanding of local customs and practices in Matzu, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps entitled “Matzu National Scenic Area Postage Stmaps,” featuring Nangan’s Iron Fort, Beigan’s Cinbi Village, Tungchu’s Fujheng Village, and Tungyin’s Lienyuyikeng (Virtuous Woman’s Fjord). An archipelago scattered off shore from the Mouth of Min River in Fuchien Province on the Mainland, Matzu spans 54 kilometers from north to south. Among its major islands (Nangan, Beigan, Tungchu, Sijyu and Tungyin), Nangan is the largest in area, followed by Beigan. In 1999, the Executive Yuan approved the creation of a Matzu National Scenic Area, which covers Nangan, Beigan, Jyuguang and Tungyin Rural Townships of Lianjiang County. The designs of the stamps follow:

    1. Nangan’s Iron Fort (NT$5.00): Nangan’s Iron Fort was carved out of an off-shore granite reef outcropping, located on the west side of Renai Village below the coastal road leading to Jingsha. Once regarded as having strategic military importance, it features tunnels, loopholes and crenels, cannon carriages, and underground chambers used as bedrooms, lavatories and kitchens. It is open for visits all day long and charges no admission.
    2. Beigan’s Cinbi Village (NT$5.00): Located on the north side of Beigan Island, between Mount Cin and Mount Bi, Cinbi Village is the most well preserved and representative of traditional Eastern Fuchien style villages in the Matzu area. The granite single-family two-story houses here are built on the side of hills. Their red-tile roofs are weighted down with large rocks and their windows are mostly high and small.
    3. Tungchu’s Fujheng Village (NT$9.00): Located below Tungchu Tao Lighthouse, it is one of the two villages in Tungchu. It was once a typical fishing village. Now most of its residents have moved out, leaving only these eastern-Fuchien-style houses scattered among the weeds.
    4. Tungyin’s Lienyuyikeng (Virtuous Woman’s Fjord) (NT$25.00): Located between Tungyin beach and Tungyin Tao Lighthouse, the fjord of Lienyuyikeng is over a hundred meters deep. Reputedly, during the late Cing dynasty, a fisherman’s wife jumped off the cliff here to save her honor. In her memory, people named this place Lienyuyikeng, which means “virtuous woman’s fjord.” Walls and railings have now been installed for visitors to enjoy this unique natural scenery.

Thanks ::: Emilie (catemilie)

Sun Moon Lake ::: Shueishe Pier, Nantou

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About Postcard (CR#)

The Sun Moon Lake, located in the middle of Taiwan, with an elevation of 748 meters above sea level, is the only natural big lake in Taiwan. The southern part of Lalu Island is shaped like a new moon, and the northern part is shaped like a sun; hence the name Sun Moon Lake. (See more)

About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: Flowers Postage Stamps (II)
Issue Date ::: 2009-10-14
Detail ::: Having issued the first set of definitive stamps on flowers on March 12, 2009, Chunghwa Post is going to follow up with a second set, featuring Calliandra emarginata, Bombax ceiba, Delonix regia, and Spathodea campanulata. This set of stamps was organized by Dr. Heng-piao Chin, the former director-general of the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, and Dr. Ting-Fang Hsieh, director of the Floriculture Research Center, Agricultural Research Institute, Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan. The stamps were painted by Mr. Hung-tu Ko, and printed by Central Engraving and Printing Plant in color deep-etch offset. The set of four stamps will be released on October 14, 2009. Details of these stamps are as follows:

    1. Calliandra emarginata (NT$1.00): Calliandra emarginata, or powder puff, is a semi-deciduous shrub of the Fabaceae family. Leaves are bipinnately compound, with oval lanceolate leaflets. The leaflets fold together at night and unfold during the day. The inflorescence is axillary and capitulum. The corolla is semicircular, with dense long filaments, resembling a powder puff. It is a very good ornamental specimen.
    2. Bombax ceiba (NT$2.50): Bombax ceiba, commonly known as cotton tree, is a deciduous tree of the Bombacaceae family. Leaves are palmately compound. Flowers are orange or red, with five petals. The calyx is cup-shaped. It produces a capsule which, when ripe, will burst open and disperse seeds that are covered thickly with cotton-like fibers. The tree has a masculine shape and looks different in all four seasons. One of its salient features is that it blooms before it leafs out.
    3. Delonix regia (NT$10.00): Delonix regia—which is commonly known as royal poinciana, flamboyant, or flame of the forest—is a deciduous tree of the Leguminosae family. Most of them have buttress roots. The tree has an umbrella-shaped crown. Leaves are opposite and bipinnately compound. Each of its flowers, which are arranged in terminal racemes, has five petals, which are bright red with a touch of yellow, and its filaments are slender and red. Because the tree blooms in June, it is often used to symbolize graduation. The royal poinciana is a large tree and mainly used for firewood, or as an ornamental or street tree. 
    4. Spathodea campanulata (NT$32.00): Spathodea campanulata, or fountain tree, is a deciduous tree of the Bignoniaceae family. Leaves are opposite and pinnately compound, with oval leaflets. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal panicle, with the outer buds blooming first. The flowers are orange scarlet, resembling flames on the crown of the tree. The fountain tree loves heat and sun light. It is commonly grown as a street tree and garden specimen.

Thanks ::: Joyce (zonular)

The Alishan Forest Railway, Chiayi, Taiwan

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About Stamp (CR#Taiwan Postal Stamps Mall)

Issue Name ::: Alpine Flowers Postage Stamps
Issue Date ::: 2011-05-16
Detail ::: Taiwan is a mountainous island, with more than 200 mountains above 3,000 meters. With the wide range of vertical climatic zones on these mountains—from tropical and subtropical to temperate and cold—come some very diverse forests. Alpine plants grow in areas 3,000 meters above sea level. Constantly exposed to strong ultraviolet radiation, the blooms of these plants are brilliantly colorful. To introduce the beauty of Taiwan’s alpine flowers, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps on these flowers. The designs follow:

    1. Gentiana scabrida var. punctulata (NT$5): The plant can be found in open meadows and gravelly slopes in high elevation areas of the Central Mountain Range. Each branch typically produces one or two (and occasionally three) terminal flowers. The blooms have yellow campanulate calyx and corolla, with black spots at the base of the petals. Though small, when a colony of these colorful exquisite flowers is in full bloom, the sight is simply breathtaking.
    2. Euphrasia transmorrisonensis (NT$5): The plant can be found at high elevations. Its Chinese name literally means “millet grass,” either because its small seeds resemble millet or the two yellow marks on the flower’s lip resemble millet. Its flowers are arranged in racemes, with very short pedicels. Each of its tiny delicate white flowers has four tubular or campanulate sepals and a smidgen of yellow on its corolla.
    3. Clematis montana (NT$10): The plant can be found creeping in meadows or scrambling over shrubs on the sunny side of mountains at high elevations. The elegant white flower’s four large petal-like surfaces are actually its white sepals. The pale yellow filaments in the center of its blossoms are its stamen and pistil.
    4. Cypripedium formosanum (NT$10): The plant can be found in moist forests on high elevation mountains. Its flowers are borne singly. The ovate lanceolate upper sepals of this showy flower are shell pink with pink veins. Bees enter through the opening of its bulging pouch-shaped labellum to carry out the task of pollination. In Chinese, the plant is nicknamed “umbrella” because its flower is shaped like one. And because its labellum resembles a slipper, the plant is also called Japanese lady’s slipper and Formosa lady’s slipper.

Thanks ::: Vyell (kw315vivian)