TOPIC STUDY - #0001 - CHINESE CALENDAR - URUGUAY

Chinese Calendar - Uruguay ( Previous / Next )

Topic Description:

The Chinese Calendar is a Lunisolar Calendar which arranges the year, month and day number upon the astronomical date. It is used for traditional activities in China and Overseas Chinese communities. It determines the date for the Chinese traditional holidays, and instructs Chinese people in selecting the Lucky Day of a Wedding or Funeral, for Opening a venture, or a Relocation.

In the Chinese Calendar, the Days begin at midnight and end at midnight of the next day. The Months begin on the day with the dark (new) moon and end on the day before the next dark moon. The Years begin on the day with the dark moon near the Vernal Commences. The Solar Terms are the important components of the Chinese calendar. There are one or two, and occasionally three, solar terms within a month.

The present Chinese Calendar is the product of evolution. Many Astronomical and Seasonal Factors were added by Ancient Scientists, and people can reckon the date of natural phenomena such as the moon phase and tide upon the Chinese calendar. The Chinese calendar has over 100 versions, and the characteristics of these versions reflect the evolutionary route of the Chinese calendar. Like Chinese characters, these versions of Chinese Calendar is adopted throughout the Sinosphere. In Korea, Vietnam, and the Ryukyu Islands, the Chinese Calendar was adopted completely. In Japan, the Chinese calendar was used before the Edo period, and the later Japanese calendar used the Algorithm of the Chinese calendar.

The Chinese Calendar is not the official calendar in China (see Minguo calendar for post-1912 History), but plays an important role there. The official name of the Chinese calendar is the Rural Calendar, but people often refer to the Chinese calendar with other names, such as the Former Calendar, the Traditional Calendar, or the Yin Calendar.

Brief Description of Releases:

Only a few Releases on Chinese Calendar Topic were released by the Uruguayan Post Office, being precisely, only Six Releases were issued until now, being Four of them, with Chinese Calendar as Main Topic, then One having a Major Reference in the Design, and the another One having a Minor Reference in the Design.

The First Uruguayan Release related to the Chinese Calendar Topic, was issued on October 21st of 1996, and although the Main Topic of the Release was about an International Philatelic Exhibition called Taipei '96, it has a Major Reference in the Design to the Year of the Rat from the Chinese Calendar. Next year, in a similar way, it was issued on November 19th of 1997 a Release about another International Philatelic Exhibition called Shanghai '97, and as it was located in the Sinosphere too, it has a Minor Reference in the Design to the Year of the Ox from the Chinese Calendar. Finally, the same two Animals from the Chinese Zodiac, were, each one, the Main Topic for two different Releases. These Animals were: The Horse, in the Releases issued on May 14th of 2002 and on January 31st of 2014; and the The Goat / Ram / Sheep, in the releases issued on February 7th of 2003, and February 19th of 2015, being this the Last Uruguayan Release related to the Chinese Calendar Topic.

Chronological Ennumeration of Releases:

October 21st of 1996: Single Block Series with Major Reference in the Design to Year of the Rat
November 19th of 1997: Two Blocks Series with Minor Reference in the Design to Year of the Ox
May 14th of 2002: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Horse as Main Topic
February 7th of 2003: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Goat / Ram / Sheep as Main Topic
January 31st of 2014: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Horse as Main Topic
February 19th of 2015: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Goat / Ram / Sheep as Main Topic

Relevance Clasification of Releases:

Main Topic of the Release:

May 14th of 2002: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Horse as Main Topic
February 7th of 2003: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Goat / Ram / Sheep as Main Topic
January 31st of 2014: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Horse as Main Topic
February 19th of 2015: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Goat / Ram / Sheep as Main Topic

Major Reference in the Design:

October 21st of 1996: Single Stamp Series with Major Reference in the Design to Year of the Rat

Minor Reference in the Design:

November 19th of 1997: Two Blocks Series with Minor Reference in the Design to Year of the Ox

 Topic Intrinsical Classification of Releases:

01 - Year of the Rat:

October 21st of 1996: Single Stamp Series with Major Reference in the Design to Year of the Rat

02 - Year of the Ox:

November 19th of 1997: Two Blocks Series with Minor Reference in the Design to Year of the Ox

07 - Year of the Horse:

May 14th of 2002: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Horse as Main Topic
January 31st of 2014: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Horse as Main Topic

08 - Year of the Goat / Ram / Sheep:

February 7th of 2003: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Goat / Ram / Sheep as Main Topic
February 19th of 2015: Single Stamp Series with Year of the Goat / Ram / Sheep as Main Topic

If you consider that there are another releases in this Topic, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.

URU - 2003 - FEB 07TH - BRIEF DESCRIPTION - CHINESE HOROSCOPE, YEAR OF THE GOAT

Uruguay - 2003 - Chinese Horoscope, Year of the Goat ( Previous / Next )

Options:

SERIES --- 1,00 EUR
 SERIES with FDC Cancelation  --- 3,00 EUR (Not in Stock, ask for it)

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I will contact you as soon I receive your donation, we agree on which items do you need, and I will discount the donation done to the amount of your purchase.

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: February 7th, 2003
Printed: 15.000 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [27 mm. x 39 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 25 stamps [5 x 5]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [Unknown]

FDC Type: Not available
FDC not sent Shape and Size: Not available
FDC sent on issue day Shape and Size: Not available

Cover Shape and Size: Not available

Catalogue information:

Michel: 2712
Ivert: 2069
Scott: 1995
Stanley & Gibbons: 2800

Topics:

Brief Description:

A brief description of the Most Popular Topics of this Release are: The Chinese Horoscope, or Chinese Zodiac, that is based on the Chinese Calendar, and in particular his Year of the Goat or Year of the Sheep, depending on the region in which the Calendar is used, then, even more particularly, and although not specified in the issue, The Year of the Water Goat, is the one celebrated in this Release.

Also, surrounding Chinese Horoscope and Chinese Calendar many Topics arises. Clearly Astrology. Then, from general to particular, Measuring Systems, Time Measuring Systems, and Calendars. Also, perhaps the more abstract Time itself too. And, of course China as the country, or more in general the Eastern Culture.

Now, looking at the desing of the Issue, it is clear that The Goat, in particular from a wider Farm Animals, Animals or Fauna, is the most relevant topic of the issue. Then Space, Astronomy, or even Stars could be another Topics, as the background selected for the stamp is a Night Sky full of Stars. Finally, Photography, could be added too, as both the Goat at foreground and the Sky at background seems to be extracted from Photographies, and not from Paintings.

Then, the First day Cancelation adds another topic by his design, that is Chinese Characterers, as these Characters are not usual to see them in stamps from western culture countries.

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.