China Souvenir Sheet: 2008-10

China Souvenir Sheet
Name: The Summer Palace
Number: 2008-10
Date of Issue: 10 May 2008

Denominations:
6 Yuan: Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha (Foxiang Ge)
The Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha (traditional Chinese: 佛香閣; simplified Chinese: 佛香阁) originally built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, it was rebuilt in its original style during Emperor Guangxu's reign (1875-1908). The octahedral tower has three stories with four-layered eaves, altogether 36.44 meters high. Standing upright on a 20 meter-high stone foundation, it constitutes the center of the Summer Palace landscape and serves to accentuate its magnificence. A statue of the thousand-handed Guanshiyin Buddha, cast in bronze and gilded with gold, stands inside the tower. The statue, five meters high and five tons in weight, was cast during the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty. Set off by the eight imposing pillars which support the tower, it glows with beauty, grandeur and brilliance. Its historical, cultural and artistic value can hardly be overstated.

Official Website of The Summer Palace

2008-10 The Summer Palace Stamps
2008-10 The Summer Palace Souvenir Sheet