Japan 2022 - Tradiitonal Cuisine of Kanazawa (Series 4)

 

Hong Kong 2001 - Hong Kong Tea Culture

Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 09 September 2001
Stamp Design: Tony Ho
Illustration: Liliane Tsui
Printer: The House of Questa Ltd., United Kingdom
Process: Lithography
Stamp Size: 27.94mm x 44.45mm
Stamp Layout: Pane of 25 Stamps
Perforation: 14 (with 2 elliptical perforations on the vertical)
Paper: Paper with Security Fibres

"It is well known that tea culture has a very long history and tea drinking is a popular habit in Hong Kong. This set of stamps is the first ever set of scented stamps issued in Hong Kong with the fragrance of tea applied to the stamps. A gentle rub on the surface of the stamp will release the aroma of Jasmine tea," Mr LUK added.

The stamps are designed by Mr Tony HO and printed in lithography by The House of Questa Ltd.

This set of special stamps consists of four stamps depicting the diversity of tea culture in Hong Kong:

HKD 1.30 Gongfu tea is a popular style of tea preparation in the Fujian province and the Chaozhou area in southern China.
The name Gongfu tea is a reflection of the immense skills and effort in its preparation.

HKD 2.50 The locally-brewed milk tea is served at old-style tea bistros and takes a unique blending of black tea leaves and superb tea-making skills to make a perfect cup of smooth Hong Kong-style tea.

HKD 3.10 As part of Hong Kong's culinary culture, "yum cha" (drinking tea) and dim sum are inseparable.

HKD 5.00 In a tea house, people enjoyed watching the traditional Chinese performance art such as string instruments.


From as far back as the Tang (唐；AD618-907) and Song (宋；AD960-1279), tea was a leisure drink for the Chinese. Nowadays, drinking a cup of tea remains an art of refreshment. For many, sharing a pot of tea with family and friends reaffirms the sense of community as it brings people together, like we Stampboarders here . For others, drinking tea is an art, a personal ritual that fosters relaxation and introspection. I usually have several cups of Puer (普洱) tea in every morning and one cup of oolong （烏龍） tea after dinner.

The Hong Kong Post issued a set of 4 stamps on 9 September 2001 illustrating the diversity of tea culture in Hong Kong. Designed by Tony Ho and printed by lithography. The theme is "Hong Kong （香港）Tea (茗）Culture（藝）“

$1.3 Stamp shows the Gongfu (功夫) tea which is a popular style of tea preparation in the Fujian （福建）province and the Chaozhou （潮州）area in southern China. The name Gongfu tea is a reflection of the immense skills and effort in its preparation while the type of tea leaves used is usually oolong tea（烏龍） which is the best in terms of aroma, favour and colour.

$2.5 Stamps shows the very popular locally-brewed milk tea. It takes a unique blending of black tea leaves and superb tea-making skills to make a perfect cup of smooth Hong Kong-style tea. Various black tea blends are boiled and then kept brewing in a metre-tall metal container for hours, ensuring its extraordinary strength and smoothness. A silk-like cotton bag filters the tea before milk and sugar are added.

$3.1 Stamps shows people having a morning tea, that is, the Hong Kong’s very popular culinary culture, “yum cha” (drinking tea) and dim sum (點心). It also shows a complete tea bowl set with a cover and a stand. The flared rim facilitates infusion and heat dissipation as well as the pouring of tea into teacups.

$5.0 Stamp shows making of Chinese tea. Hot water at the correct temperature and proper brewing time are essential. Teacups are pre- warmed with hot water and arranged in circle, then the brew is poured out in a continuous circular motion for a few rounds with a small amount of tea poured into each cup until they are nearly full. This ensures the taste of tea is perfectly balanced.

The aroma of jasmine tea has been added into these stamps during the printing process, making them the first ever scented stamps issued in Hong Kong. A gentle rub on the stamp will release the aroma into the air.