Ulaanbaatar, January 9, 2024 /MONTSAME/ On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first issuance of the Mongolian stamp, the “Year of the Dragon” stamp dedicated to the wooden dragon year of the 17th century named “Khilent ekh” have been put into circulation.

The stamp design features the archeological finding of “a pair of silver dragons”, the first-ever find in Asia with a whole dragon image, which was discovered in Undur-Ulaan soum, Arkhangai aimag. The year of the dragon represents good health, strength, loyalty, and purity.

Honored Cultural Figure of Mongolia lama of the monastery Tuvdenpelzheelin J. Gonchigsuren, astrologer, Honored Cultural Figure of Mongolia, Khamba lama of Tuvdenpeljeelin Monastery Gonchigsuren, astrologer, associate professor Davaabayar, and Honored Scientist of Mongolia, archaeologist, historian, doctor /PhD/, professor Erdenebaatar advised and provided source materials for drawing up sketches of the stamp while the stamp was painted by Battur and designed by Gankhuyag.

The artist Battur highlighted, “The stamp depicts a figure of a dragon sourcing a find from the Hunnu (Xiongnu) period. Archaeologist D. Erdenebaatar proved with his findings that the dragon is the key symbol that our ancestors worshiped. I tried to take an abstract and artistic approach when depicting the dragon and changed the shape of its tail, adding more colors. The main purpose of creating the stamp is to enhance the value of rare finds, put them into research circulation, distribute and promote them.”

Previously, numerous stamps that reflected the Year of the Dragon were put into circulation in Mongolia, including a series of stamps “12 signs of the zodiac” issued in 1972 and 1992, the Year of the Iron Dragon called “Tiin Daragch” on January 10, 2000, and the Year of the Water Dragon called “Bayasgalan” issued on January 1, 2012.

During the First Day of Issue Ceremony the exhibition “History of Mongolian Post” by Enhbat, Honored Cultural Figure of Mongolia and the Head of the Mongolian Philatelic Association, was opened.

The exhibition has four sections and reveals rare historical facts about the transition from the horse relay postal system, which was used by the Mongolians for centuries, to an independent postal system.

The sections are themed under the horse relay “Urtuu” postal system of Mongolia, the post office branches of Imperial Russia in Outer Mongolia,  the Chinese post office branches in Outer Mongolia, and, the history of the post of the Mongolian People’s Republic.

Head of the Mongolian Philatelic Association Enkhbat noted, “It is written in historical records that the horse relay postal system originated from the time of Ogedei Khan. Since then, it developed for military and mail delivery purposes for hundreds of years. I have been studying the history of the Mongol postal system for 20 years. There were 2-3 types of express mail. For example, a horse's hooves are drawn to indicate the meaning of delivery on a fast horse, and there is also a letter that says to deliver in a distance of 300 or 400 km in one day. In particular, letters from China are characterized by having four hooves drawn. Ordinary letters were supposed to be delivered in 3 days, and express letters were supposed to be delivered 2-3 times faster than that.

The exhibition will continue for a week at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum.

Translated by Sainzaya Davaajamts