Temples have always been of great significance to cultures throughout the world. In all four corners of the globe, temples reflect the beliefs and society prevalent within that location.
Postage stamps also reflect the nations which they represent with images of their own specific temples. The Temple of Heaven, located in the south-eastern part of Beijing and built during the reign of Emperor Yongle of Ming Dynasty is the largest temple-altar still intact. Built of wood, gold-gilt and brightly painted, the intricacies of its design symbolize the relationship between earth and heaven which is integral to the heart of Chinese cosmogony. In 1956, the Temple of Heaven was pictured on a
postage stamp as part of a set of five showing different views of Imperial Beijing. Blue is the dominant colour to symbolize that halls and temples were connected to the sky.
In February, 2002, Japan’s postal department issued a
stamp portraying the Jishoji Temple Silver Pavilion. One shows the temple covered in snow while the other shows it during the summer season. Costing 80yen, these stamps display the scenic gardens superbly. Designated as a World Heritage Site in 1994, this temple houses national treasures and effectively represents cultural aspects of Japan. The temple is in Kyoto.
US control of the Ryukyuan Islands of Japan from 1945 to 1972, meant that
postage stamps specific to the tiny islands were necessary. A passport was required to travel to mainland Japan and the currency was the US dollar. The postage stamps distinctly reflect the Ryukyuan culture and history. The Benzaiten Shrine in Shuri which housed the 15th century Korean editions of Buddhist sutras was destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa. This shrine is remembered through its image on a red
postage stamp.
Jainism is an important part of Indian culture. They believe that an important function of living beings is to help each other. In 1934, King George V issued a set of four
stamps of temples and shrines to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of his reign. One of these was the 1/16 rupee stamp of the Jain Shrine of Calcutta. It displayed the traditional 18th century shrine of Rishabhadev, the first of the spiritual victors to attain omniscience and salvation. On August 15th, 1948, one year after independence of India, a
15rupee stamp was issued depicting the Rishabhadev’s Temple of Shatrunjaya which was built in the eleventh century.
On the Nile River, south of Aswan, Abu Simbel is the site of two temples carved into a sandstone cliff about 1250 BC during the reign of Rameses II. In 1992, the United Nations (Vienna) issued a
stamp showing the Temple of Rameses II at Abu Simbel. In 1914, Egypt had also featured a
stamp of the Rock Temple of Abu Simbel. The island temple at Philae was constructed over a three century period, by the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty and completed by the Roman emperors. One of the most spectacular remains are the ruins of Emperor Trajan’s Kiosk. (Kiosk is a Turkish word whose original meaning is ‘garden pavilion’). In 1980, Egypt issued a stamp depicting these ruins and UNESCO (France) portrayed the Temple at Philae on a
stamp released in 1987.
Please visit our online shop for a large
stamp collection to purchase.
