Announcements
Not everyone knows this, but the ancient Chinese already had a postal system for sending mail.
China's first postal services date back to about 2,000 years ago. They were especially developed by the Tang (618-907), who created a network of couriers with refreshment stations every ten miles.
In the thirteenth century, when the Mongols conquered Chinese territory, the system improved thanks to the combination of this efficient postal network and the skill of the steppe horsemen.
The first Chinese postage stamp saw the light during the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of the Celestial Empire which reigned from 1644 to 1911.
With a delay of 38 years compared to the Penny Black of the English Empire, in 1878 there was the first Chinese issue, that of the famous "big dragons": three values of 1, 3 and 5 candarins. In 1885 three more "little dragons" followed, still of 1, 3 and 5 candarins. To start opening up to international trade, this postal initiative was necessary for China.