Is the controversial “Blue Rabbit” stamp really that ugly?
If enough discussion is the criterion for judging stamps of the zodiac, then the 2023 Year of the Rabbit stamps have exceeded the standard.
In just a few days, the pattern of this blue rabbit stamp has been discussed wave after wave.
It's all just because the rabbit looks "monstrous".
Zodiac stamp pattern reminds the whole network of "childhood shadow"
Except for the monkey stamps with a serious premium, most people may not remember what the other zodiac stamps look like. This year's blue rabbit is a surprise, because in the festive and peaceful atmosphere of stamps, the style of this blue rabbit is too prominent.
Red eyes, dark head, anthropomorphic fingers, spikes on feet, black beard, ironic smile, all combined can get different evaluations. Maybe not everyone thinks this rabbit is "monstrous", but it is recognized that it is not festive enough.
It's like a Hades stamp.
It looks like a demon, which is bad luck.
It's weird, a bit unappreciative, and reminds me of "The Rubik's Cube Building".
The mainstream rabbits make people feel gentle and kind, but this blue rabbit appears evil and cunning.
Some people also think that there can be some innovations in artistic expression, and that the zodiac stamps are not happy is also a new choice.
Those who support this kind of "extraordinary" attempt will also explain from the homonym "blueprint" of "blue rabbit". This rabbit is just drawing a beautiful blueprint for the new year. In the official explanation, this wise rabbit, who holds a pen in his right hand and a letter in his left hand, is conveying good wishes for the new year to people.
Before the social network expressed its opinion on this rabbit, this particular blue rabbit caused some controversy in the small circle of stamps three months ago. Although postmates have different comments on this, one thing is generally recognized. The style of this rabbit zodiac stamp is different from others.
At that time, some philatelists said that although the pattern of the Year of the Rabbit stamps was controversial, he was pleased that the attention this special design had attracted could allow more people to know and understand the stamps.
After all, the special stamps for the year of Kuimao come in a set of two. Among them, the stamp "Guimao Sends Blessings" is the blue rabbit that has caused controversy, but the other stamp "Same Circle Coexistence" is not known to many people.
The pattern of symbiosis in the same circle is very auspicious. The three rabbits are connected end to end and galloping endlessly, showing agility and vitality. The rabbits here are very in line with the auspicious and joyful design of the zodiac ticket in the eyes of the public.
Just conforming to the cognition also means that its design style is relatively conventional, so netizens have seen the extraordinary blue rabbits, but not many people know about the three rabbits connected end to end.
Huang Yongyu, the painter who drew this blue rabbit, said: "Drawing a rabbit stamp is a happy thing. Everyone can draw my rabbit, and I am not the only one who can draw it. Everyone is happy when I draw it. Congratulations on the new year next year." .thank you all!"
Among the pattern designs of zodiac stamps, the blue rabbit is the second pattern that has caused widespread controversy, and the first is the pattern of the tiger on the 2022 Renyin Year special stamp.
Similar to the current Blue Rabbit, the year of the Tiger zodiac stamps at that time were also complained about with sad faces, not festive enough, and looked sickly.
But the tiger that was complained about was also made by a famous artist. Its author, Feng Dazhong, has been painting tigers for more than 50 years and is known for his meticulous painting of tigers. In the final stamp image, there is a tiger that is relatively less domineering, and the design that breaks the rules has to be brought out for further discussion.
The new work of "Father of Monkey Ticket" is controversial, but the style is very "familiar"
It’s just that the tiger zodiac stamp is different from Feng Dazhong’s original work, which has undergone multiple rounds of revisions to make it more in line with the artistic expression of the stamp size. The blue rabbit painted by Huang Yongyu is actually very consistent with his previous style.
When he draws a dragon, that means "Isn't it a dragon to add a snake to a dragon?"
He draws birds with the text "A bird is a good bird, but it talks a lot".
He draws pigs, boars about to "fight for their humiliated cousins".
He draws mice, which is the "I Eat Rat Poison for Breakfast" cartoon.
When he drew a cow, he had to draw an apple tree on the head of the cow, because "the surname of gravity is the cow".
There are both cows and horses in one picture, which also has the meaning of "what's the bull's head doing to the horse's mouth if nothing happens".
In the 10,000th Congress of Huaguoshan Water Curtain Cave, the monkeys he drew were all looking down at their mobile phones, which caused the monkey king to go crazy.
Even Blue Rabbit is not the first time he has drawn rabbits. In his previous rabbit paintings, there are quite a few interesting interpretations of idioms and sayings.
The three caves of the cunning rabbit became "one nest is enough, why do we need three caves".
The allegory of the tortoise and the hare is changed to a rabbit sitting on the tortoise shell and running forward.
Or the rabbit got drunk and "fell the tortoise."
The Jade Rabbit smashing medicine has become a satirical cartoon "Fake medicine is the safest on the moon".
Rabbits don’t eat the grass beside the nest, and the new compilation has also become the rabbit’s self-narration: "What do I eat if I don’t eat the grass beside the nest?"
▲ Picture from: National Museum
Although it seems that the style of painting is quite different, Huang Yongyu, the author who drew this blue rabbit, is also the author of the first zodiac monkey stamp—the first zodiac stamp that created the myth of Chinese stamp appreciation. version of monkey tickets for a suite".
The monkey ticket has a face value of 8 cents, and now it is worth 10,000 yuan a piece, and the whole monkey ticket is worth one million yuan.
In the report of the Financial Times, the appearance of the zodiac ticket is also related to Huang Yongyu.
Shao Bolin, the stamp designer at the time, invited his teacher Huang Yongyu to draw a set of animal stamps. After Huang Yongyu agreed, he also suggested that the stamp issuing bureau should consider issuing zodiac stamps.
▲ The prototype of the monkey ticket is the monkey raised by Huang Yongyu
The final result was in the "Request for Instructions on the Proposed Issuance of Special Stamps for the Year of the Monkey", the issuing bureau wrote:
In order to meet the hopes of the people and export needs, we consider issuing an "annual ticket" every Spring Festival, with the pattern of the 12 zodiac signs, that is, issuing a "monkey"-themed stamp in the Year of the Monkey.
This monkey ticket, which was later crazily increased in price, also became the origin of the special stamps of the Chinese zodiac every year.
Between this famous monkey ticket and the Tucao rabbit ticket, Huang Yongyu also designed a monkey ticket for the year of Bingshen. It was the first set of special stamps in the fourth round of zodiac stamps. The design was impeccable and the pictures were very auspicious. The content of the two stamps is the spirit of the monkey, and the blessing and longevity. This is in line with everyone's impression of the zodiac stamp. The cute little monkey looks very festive, but it is much less well-known than the brothers of the same school.
Zodiac stamps, basically each one is a masterpiece
Apart from all kinds of postal logistics chaos, the release of zodiac tickets every year may be one of the few highlights of the postal service that rushes to the hot search.
Since 1980, the zodiac tickets that have gone through 42 years have become a collective cultural memory.
Even those who don't collect stamps or pay attention to stamps have at least heard the story of "sky-high price monkey stamps". Every year when the new zodiac ticket designs come out, it always sparks a certain amount of discussion. Zodiac stamps have unknowingly become the lowest threshold for ordinary people to get in touch with stamp culture, and even these stamp designs are the epitome of cultural and artistic expression in a certain period.
The stamp design that was complained about ugly and uncharacteristic many years ago may be "turned over" many years later and praised as cute, which is quite folklore.
And those stamps that are well received at the time of issuance can increase in price later, not only have high artistic value but also have high collection value. Among the four sets of zodiac stamps currently issued, the first round of zodiac stamps has become the most classic and well-known stamp because of the limited number of issues and the high popularity of the designer.
The zodiac rooster in the first round was designed by Zhang Ding, a master of national emblem design art. The shadow carving overprinting process brought the feathers of a rooster crowing to life, and the colorful rooster feathers that finally appeared on the stamps are both paper-cut and glass-mounted.
And "Father of Fuwa" Han Meilin also designed zodiac tickets. The zodiac pig he designed runs forward with its head held high and its chest upright. Not only does it have beautiful patterns of hearts, peaches and green leaves on its body, its curly tail and upward-looking posture can make people feel the cleverness and joy of this little pig.
Zhou Lingzhao, who drew the portrait of the chairman on the Tiananmen Gate at the founding ceremony, drew the first round of dog stamps. The original picture of this stamp is a ceramic painting, which seems to have a kiln effect. And on the stamp, the puppy is also full of life, loyal and cute.
The designer of the first round of Zodiac Rat stamps is not a well-known painter, but a professional stamp designer Li Yinqing. The little mouse on this stamp is also the image closest to animation among the 12 stamps. The big protruding ears and piercing eyes give the mouse a calm image.
These are the most orthodox designs in everyone's eyes. It is auspicious and has a taste of the new year, and it is the most important to be able to express the traditional joy of welcoming the new year. In recent years, the design style of zodiac stamps has become more "live". The artist's personal expression ability has been continuously strengthened, and the style can be more diverse.
Whether you like the new design style or not, the annual zodiac stamps will still meet stamp lovers on time.
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