世界華人郵票掇英

在我的《中外交流》專題郵集中，有一冊(cè)是匯集國(guó)外發(fā)行有關(guān)華人題材的郵票。這里擷取幾個(gè)畫面，奉獻(xiàn)給讀者。

三國(guó)郵苑緬懷華人開拓

1997年是中國(guó)移民到達(dá)古巴150周年，古巴發(fā)行一種郵票，畫面是古巴華裔女畫家的作品——“樹林”，它以象征性的手法，寓意華人在古巴生根、開花、結(jié)果。一些古巴歷史學(xué)家指出，第一批中國(guó)人于1847年7月到達(dá)古巴，他們以自己的汗水和英雄主義精神，在發(fā)展古巴經(jīng)濟(jì)，爭(zhēng)取古巴民族獨(dú)立斗爭(zhēng)中，發(fā)揮了積極的作用。也從那時(shí)起，中國(guó)移民文明的足跡逐漸在古巴四處傳播，并逐漸與當(dāng)?shù)匚拿魅诤希瑯?gòu)成了如今古巴社會(huì)的一部分。

秘魯是拉美華人（華僑）最多、移民歷史最悠久的國(guó)家之一。目前全秘魯有華裔150多萬人（其中華僑30萬）。1999年是華人抵秘魯150周年，秘魯政府隆重舉行慶祝活動(dòng)，同時(shí)發(fā)行一種郵票。該郵票由華裔設(shè)計(jì)師設(shè)計(jì)，洋溢著濃郁的中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)特色：大紅色的背景，繁體漢字，有“1849”和“1999”兩枚中國(guó)印章圖案，并有中國(guó)龍和秘魯?shù)貓D相互輝映。郵票顯示秘中人民的親密友誼，那涌動(dòng)的波浪象征華人遠(yuǎn)渡重洋來到秘魯和乘風(fēng)破浪向新目標(biāo)邁進(jìn)之意。

與古、秘兩國(guó)郵票上所呈現(xiàn)的喜慶色彩不同，大洋洲島國(guó)瑙魯發(fā)行的一種郵資片上，它展示的是1906年中國(guó)勞工在瑙魯開采磷礦的辛勞場(chǎng)景。郵資圖上的華工手執(zhí)鐵鍬，光著上身，彎腰曲背地在開采磷石，而最前方的一位年輕華工，挑著滿滿的兩筐礦石，幾乎將扁擔(dān)都?jí)簭澚耍切馗€露出條條瘦骨，令人為他們的艱難生活擔(dān)憂。郵資片所昭示的，含有后人飲水不忘掘井人之意。

世界遺產(chǎn)會(huì)安建筑群

2004年12月1日，越南發(fā)行一套《世界文化遺產(chǎn)——會(huì)安》郵票，其中一枚為小型張，郵資主圖展現(xiàn)的是華人“福建會(huì)館”建筑物，郵票背景以俯瞰的視角，將會(huì)安這座融合各種民族文化、富有古韻的古城全貌和港口盡收眼底。

會(huì)安，這座港口城市位于越南中部，16世紀(jì)這里發(fā)展成為東南亞的一個(gè)重要貿(mào)易交流中心，中國(guó)、日本、南洋的商船經(jīng)常在會(huì)安港進(jìn)出。由于當(dāng)時(shí)在會(huì)安經(jīng)商的中國(guó)人和日本人很多，當(dāng)局允許在這里分別建立具有本國(guó)民族特色的華人和日本人居住的單獨(dú)街道。

華人居住的街道有觀音廟、關(guān)帝廟等中國(guó)風(fēng)格的廟宇，最突出的是在華人街上先后建起了福建會(huì)館、廣肇會(huì)館、潮州會(huì)館、瓊府會(huì)館和總會(huì)館——中華會(huì)館。福建會(huì)館坐落在會(huì)安市陳富街，建于1697年，起初冠名“金山”，1757年福建商會(huì)對(duì)其進(jìn)行了修繕和擴(kuò)建，建成福建會(huì)館。館內(nèi)供奉觀世音和媽祖像，侍立兩旁的是千里眼和順風(fēng)耳；館中還擺放著一具中國(guó)商船的模型。福建會(huì)館造型獨(dú)特，雕梁畫棟，具有中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)建筑風(fēng)格。

華人會(huì)館也同樣出現(xiàn)在加勒比海島國(guó)牙買加的郵票上，郵票上那一字排開的朱紅門庭、那飛檐翹角宮殿式的樓閣、那上懸的“中華會(huì)館”巨匾，確實(shí)氣勢(shì)非凡；另一枚郵票上的“中國(guó)城”，宛似一幅江南小城的素描畫，在書有漢字的“中華會(huì)館”兩側(cè)，是一排白墻灰頂住宅，還有一位老漢駕著馬車奔馳在街道上。

新加坡郵票上的“唐人街”

唐人街是世界各地華人社區(qū)的統(tǒng)稱，也是華僑遷居海外最初的落腳點(diǎn)。唐人街有著濃郁的中華文化，這些被早期中國(guó)移民歷盡千辛萬苦保留下來的中華文化，又因吸收了大量居住地區(qū)文化而產(chǎn)生變異，這就發(fā)展成特有的唐人街文化。

1984年5月17日，新加坡發(fā)行的一套四枚《油畫藝術(shù)——新加坡唐人街繪畫》郵票，就是用油畫這一藝術(shù)形式，逼真地再現(xiàn)昔日新加坡唐人街的牛車水街、塔街、春加奴街和廟街等四個(gè)街區(qū)的萬般風(fēng)情。你置身其間，仿佛漫步在我國(guó)廣東、福建某一條街道上：這里有呈鵝黃式的古舊木結(jié)構(gòu)房子、有遮陽避雨的走廊、有臨街傍河埠的菜市、有商鋪林立的集市、有擺開桌椅的餐飲場(chǎng)所，行人熙熙攘攘。借助放大鏡，在郵票畫面上隱約地看到掛有“黑龍丸”、“泰山藥”等招牌的中藥鋪，一些茶樓酒家和寺廟等建筑物也會(huì)映入你的眼簾。

華人與生肖郵票

春節(jié)是中國(guó)文化的符號(hào)，海外華人以寫春聯(lián)、貼年畫、放爆竹、舞獅龍、掛大紅燈籠等特有的方式，將新春喜悅?cè)鰸M世界。同樣，各國(guó)政府為了表彰華人對(duì)所在國(guó)作出的重大貢獻(xiàn)，表達(dá)對(duì)中國(guó)人民的友好感情和推崇中國(guó)文化，也競(jìng)相發(fā)行中國(guó)“十二生肖”郵票，從而在世界郵壇上亮出了一道賀中國(guó)新年特有的文化景觀，并演變成為全球性的一種賀年郵票。

2005年1月31日，當(dāng)中國(guó)乙酉雞年降臨之際，歐洲文化重鎮(zhèn)法國(guó)繼美國(guó)1992年開啟發(fā)行中國(guó)生肖郵票后，也拉開發(fā)行中國(guó)生肖郵票的大幕。其序曲把象征法蘭西民族的高盧雞一聲啼鳴而飛到乙酉郵票上，擔(dān)當(dāng)起中國(guó)生肖雞的司職。這神來一筆，將東西方文化交融得如此和諧與美妙。由法國(guó)藝術(shù)家設(shè)計(jì)和旅法華人藝術(shù)家題寫漢字書法的小版張郵票所含的10枚郵票，分列于兩側(cè)呈直五連，猶如中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)對(duì)聯(lián)一般，那威武矯健的高盧雞面朝東方齊聲引吭高歌，給人一種振奮之感。郵票一面世，立即受到法國(guó)華人和歐洲人的爭(zhēng)購。法國(guó)郵政表示：中國(guó)生肖文化作為非常重要的中國(guó)元素已經(jīng)融入到法蘭西社會(huì)中，它每年都將有一枚相應(yīng)的郵票發(fā)行，與華人同慶生肖新年的到來。

70%居民是華人的澳大利亞圣誕島，已連續(xù)11年發(fā)行生肖郵票，中國(guó)味特別濃郁。牛年的“牛郎織女”、兔年的“嫦娥奔月”、蛇年的“斷橋相會(huì)”、狗年的二郎神和哮天犬等中國(guó)民間傳說都在郵票上亮相，盡顯中國(guó)文化魅力。而最使人動(dòng)容的是2002年“馬年”生肖郵票上，在一片歡樂喜慶聲中，騎著駿馬的信使手握寫有唐岑參的詩句：“馬上相逢無紙筆，憑君傳語報(bào)平安”的書軸，向華人家庭送去歲末年初的問候與祝福，友情、親情、鄉(xiāng)情溢于言表。

華商郵票富有創(chuàng)意

2006年是新加坡中華總商會(huì)成立100周年，新加坡郵政特發(fā)行一套5枚紀(jì)念郵票和一枚小全張。郵票設(shè)計(jì)富有創(chuàng)意，它以窄幅的扇形造型，分別展現(xiàn)了總商會(huì)大廈、會(huì)花、會(huì)徽及南洋大學(xué)行政樓等，邊飾襯以5種不同形式的刺繡，整套郵票就像5幅裝裱好的扇面畫。小全張的設(shè)計(jì)更勝一籌：5枚扇形郵票依次貼著母線排開，組合成一幅大型的寬幅扇面，再以紅底金龍刺繡作為邊飾，“跨世紀(jì)”、“越四海”的書法如對(duì)聯(lián)般布置左右，巧妙地營(yíng)造了中國(guó)書畫風(fēng)韻，體現(xiàn)出總商會(huì)中華文化的底蘊(yùn)。

此前，菲律賓郵政在菲律賓中華總商會(huì)成立100周年，也發(fā)行了一套2枚紀(jì)念郵票，將中國(guó)長(zhǎng)城和菲律賓海島標(biāo)志性建筑分別作為郵票主圖，以象征兩國(guó)的經(jīng)貿(mào)交往。

Chinese Charms on Foreign Stamps

By Tu Xuefan

One of my theme stamp collections is entitled Sino-Foreign Exchanges and one album in the collection has all foreign stamps with Chinese images. The following is a brief introduction to some of these stamps.

Stamps in Memory of Chinese Immigrants in Three Countries

The year 1997 was the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Chinese immigrants in Cuba. The Caribbean country issued a stamp to memorialize this event. The stamp displays a picture by a Chinese descendent in Cuba. In the picture are trees， a graphic and apt metaphor that compare the Chinese immigrants to trees that took roots， grew up and blossomed in Cuba. Cuban historians conclude that the first Chinese immigrants arrived in Cuba in July， 1847. Heroic and diligent， the Chinese immigrants played an important and active role in local economic growth and the country's war for independence. From 1847 forward， the Chinese immigrants gradually spread throughout Cuba. Today， the Chinese descendents are an integral part of its society.

Peru has the largest and earliest Chinese population in South America. Nowadays， the Chinese descendents in the country number 1.50 million， including 300，000 overseas Chinese. The year 1999 marked the 150th anniversary of the Chinese arrival in Peru. In addition to other celebrating events， the government issued a stamp on the occasion. Designed by a Peruvian Chinese artist， the stamp displays a typical Chinese style: against a backdrop in bright red are the prints of two Chinese-style seals that bear the years 1849 and 1999; and there are a Chinese dragon and a map of Peru that add the radiance.

In contrast to the celebratory style in the two stamps， Nauru， an island in the Pacific Ocean， issued a quite a different stamp in commemoration of the Chinese who came to the Pacific island country. On the stamp are Chinese miners working very hard in the phosphate mine on the island in 1906. The stamp expresses sympathy toward the Chinese coolies who marked the hardship in the early years of the island country.

Overseas Chinese Communities

On December 1， 2004， Vietnam released a set of stamps in celebration of Hoian， a historical place on the list of the world cultural heritage. One sheetlet of stamps depicts Fujian Guild House in Hoian. Hoian， a port city in the central Vietnam， first grew into an important trade center in the 16th century. Ships from China， Japan and Southeast Asian countries visited the port regularly. As more and more Chinese and Japanese business people came to live in the city， the local government allowed the Chinese and the Japanese to build their own communities. The Chinese community was built along a street， lined with the Avalokitesvara Temple and The Memorial Temple of Lord Guan. Then Fujian House， Guangzhao House， Chaozhou House appeared there before the China Guild House was finally erected. The Fujian Guild House was built in 1697 and was refurbished in 1757 by the Fujian Chamber of Commerce in Hoian.

A stamp issued in Jamaica also shows a Chinese guild house as the centerpiece. Another Jamaican stamp depicts a Chinese city， which looks like a sketch of a dreamlike small city in southern Yangtze River delta.

China Town is a global phrase that refers to the Chinese community in foreign countries. For many Chinese immigrants， it also serves as the first foothold where they start their new life. On May 17， 1984， Singapore issued a set of four stamps depicting its China Town. The four stamps are miniaturized reprints of four oil paintings of four famous streets in the Chinese community in town. In the stamps， you can see wood houses， arcades， a riverside vegetable market， shops and restaurants. With a magnifying glass， you can even recognize some shop signs inscribed in Chinese.

Twelve-Animal* Stamps

The Spring Festival symbolizes the Chinese culture. Overseas Chinese descendents celebrate the event by writing Spring Festival Couplets， posting New Year pictures， setting off firecrackers， dancing with lion costumes， and hanging out red lanterns. In recent years， many countries have issued twelve animal stamps to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival. On January 31， 2005， the day of the Chinese Spring Festival， France released the first of the twelve-animal stamps. As it was the Year of Rooster， the stamp shows a Gallic rooster， one of the French emblems， to celebrate the Chinese Year of Rooster. The magic inspiration of a French image for the celebration of the Chinese New Year suggests the close cultural links between the two countries. A sheetlet of the ten stamps looks like a traditional Chinese couplet for Spring Festival. When the stamp was released， it enjoyed popularity with both French Chinese and other Europeans.

Christmas Island， a territory of Australia located 2，600 kilometers north-west of Perth， Western Australia in the Indian Ocean， has a Chinese population accounting for about 70% of the total population on the island. The island has issued 11 twelve-animal stamps so far. The stamps use Chinese legends to illustrate auspicious animals.

* representing the twelve Earthly Branches in Chinese culture， used to symbolize the year in which a person is born.

(Translated by David)