China Pre-stamped Postcard JP149

China Pre-stamped Postcard
Name: The 130th Anniversary of the Issuance of the Large Dragon Stamps
Number: JP149
Date of Issue: 24 July 2008

On March 9, 1878, Robert Hart entrusted Gustav Detring, then Commissioner of Customs - Tientsin (天津海關税務司), to inaugurate Customs trial-run postal service following example of the Europeans. The beginning of China's modern post was marked with the opening of the Customs Postal Service (海關書信館) for public mailing on March 23, 1878, at Peking (北京), Tientsin (天津), Newchwang (牛莊), Chinkiang (鎮江) and Shanghai (上海) with Tientsin Customs (津海關) as the center. It was officially named the Customs Post Office (海關撥駟達局) later in January 11, 1880. The Customs Post Office decided to print postage stamps to simplify the postal charge and account settlement. In July 1878, China's first issue - Customs Large Dragon (海關大龍) stamps was released.