Nepal's UNESCO World Heritage Site

Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durbar Square is the religious and social heart of Kathmandu's old city, the square is presently known as Hanuman Dhoka, a name derived from the statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, near the entrance of the palace. It is a complex of palaces, temples, shrines, statues and courtyards which were built between the 12th and 18th centuries by the ancient kings of Nepal. The square is a queer assortment of the old and the new - elaborately carved architectural features and curving roofs provide shelter for cows, beggars and weary tourists.

Brahman priests and painted Sadhus perform rituals and pose for photos, while souvenir sellers and rickshaw drivers compete for attention among the crowds. Stone lions guard the gates to the Old Royal Palace that contains a number of courtyards and several museums. Set into the palace wall is a 17th-century stone inscription written in 15 languages; it is believed that milk will flow from the spout below if anyone deciphers the entire inscription. On the other side of the square, the Kasthamandap temple is an open pavilion topped by a pyramidal tower, said to be created from the wood of a single tree. It is purportedly the Valley's oldest building, and the city of Kathmandu derives its name from this ancient temple.

Long jing Village, China- The Hometown of Tea

Longjing aka Longhong or Longqiu sits on the Fenghuangling mountain on the southwest of West Lake. The ancient Chinese believed that the dragon lives here so name it after Longjing. The famous Longjing tea of West Lake is produced in this village. In Ming and Qing era, the Longjing tea became famous because scholars and emperors highly regarded the tea. Qianlong emperor visited Longjing and adjudged its taste as one of Chinas's best. Longjing is interlinked with the sea and the dragon lives in the sea so we call Longjing. Longjing's water is also very strange, for when stirring it. a line which separates the water appears on the surface like a swinging gossamer, then quickly disappears. Its spring water is clean and sweet. Longjing, Hupao and Yu spring are called the three famous springs of West lake.

The souvenir sheet above features the West Lake in Hangzhou issued by China in 1989.

New Zealand's Unofficial National Anthem on Stamps?

New Zealand has honored Engelbert Humperdinck by releasing a stamp based on his song ‘Ten Guitars’. Engelbert released ‘Ten Guitars’ as a b-side in 1967. It was also on his debut album ‘Release Me’. However, despite originally be used as more filler than thriller the song took on a life of its own in New Zealand and is now considered the country's unofficial national anthem. There was even a Facebook petition to have it made the national anthem.‘Ten Guitars’ is said to be one of the most played songs at parties in New Zealand.The 60-cent ‘Ten Guitars’ stamp features in a set of Kiwiana stamps out now in New Zealand.

Engelbert Humperdinck (born Arnold George Dorsey; 2 May 1936) is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)" and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" ("The Last Waltz with You").

The 20th Anniversary of the Restoration of State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Stamp and Souvenir Sheet

Like other republics of the Soviet Union at the time, Azerbaijan had its own anthem, which was in use until shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Azerbaijan was originally given an anthem in 1944, but a slight change to the lyrics came in 1978 with the removal of Stalin's name and other minor changes. The composer of the anthem's melody also wrote the music for the current Azerbaijani national anthem in 1919 before Azerbaijan became part of the Soviet Union.

On January 30, 1920, the Azerbaijan government announced a competition to create a national anthem, but in the result of the fall of Azerbaijan to the Soviet Union on April 28, 1920, the anthem was not adopted. On May 27, 1992, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the "Azerbaijan Marsi," which was created in 1919 during the brief independence period, was approved as the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The composer of the anthem was Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the same person that composed the music to the anthem used by the Azerbaijan SSR.

Above is the stamp set of national symbols with the lyrics of the national anthem. Below is the souvenir sheet with the flag, map and score of the national anthem. These were issued on November 10, 2011.

Slovenian Anthem Lyrics on Stamps

"Zdravljica" was written by France Prešeren, considered as Slovenia's national poet, as a drinking song (in his original manuscript, the layout of the words resemble a wine glass), but also was seen as politically charged piece when it was written in 1844 as it spoke of pan-Slavic nationalism, which was controversial in Austria-Hungary (which Slovenia was part of at the time). It was finally published in 1848, after revolutions in Austria-Hungary lifted the censorship.

In 1905, Zdravljica was set to music for the first time, the entire poem had a choral composition composed for it by Stanko Premrl, and this was the composition chosen as the Slovenian anthem in September 1989. Six months later, it was specified that the seventh verse is the official anthem, and this remains to this day.

The block above contains the flag and some of the lyrics of the Slovenian national anthem. It was issued on 2001.

Qin Shi Huang's Teracotta Army in Xian

Some Chinese scholars labelled Emperor Qin Shi Huang as a tyrannical megalomaniac who ordered the killing of his writers and philosophers and burned books written about previous kings and rulers so that Chinese history begins with him. But these seemingly evil ways ironically resulted into today's magnificent structures (Great Wall) and discoveries. One of these great discoveries were Emperor Qin's Terra-cotta army. These thousand-years-buried treasures are located about 1.5 kilometers east of the Emperor QinShihuang's mausoleum, symbolizing the main defending force that guarded the capital before Emperor Qin died. These soldiers were to accompany him in the afterlife. Until today, no one has seen the Emperors body due to the elaborate network of traps and poisons (mercury) he designed while he was alive.

The Terracotta soldier were never mentioned in the historical records until Pit 1 (first excavated area) was discovered in March 1974 by local Chinese farmers while drilling a well. During our visit, we had the opportunity to meet the farmer who discovered the site and had our special Terracotta book, which is available only in Xian, autographed by him. Then years later, archaeologists began the explorations and excavations of the Terracotta Army. On October 1, 1979 Emperor Qin's Terra-Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum was opened to the public about 35 kilometers East of Xian, China. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum receives over 2,000,000 Chinese and Foreign Tourists a year with an annual ticket income of around 150 million yuan.

The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was included as a World Heritage Site on the basis of Cultural Criteria I, III, IV and VI.

Criterion I. Because of their exceptional technical and artistic qualities, the terracotta warriors and horses, and the funerary carts in bronze are major works in the history of Chinese sculpture prior to the reign of the Han dynasty.

Criterion III. The army of statues bears unique testimony to the military organization in China at the time of the Warring Kingdoms (475-221 B.C.) and that of the short-lived Empire of a Thousand Generations (221-210 B.C.). The direct testimony of the objects found in situ (lances, swords, axes, halberds, bows, arrows, etc.) is evident. The documentary value of a group of hyper-realistic sculptures where no detail has been neglected from the uniforms of the warriors, their arms, to even the horses' halters- is enormous. Furthermore, the information to be gleaned from the statues concerning the craft and techniques of potters and bronze-workers is immeasurable.

Criterion IV. The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is the largest preserved one in China. It is a unique architectural ensemble whose layout echoes the urban plan of the capital, Xianyang, with the imperial palace enclosed by the walls of the city, themselves encircled by other walls. This capital of the Qin (to which succeeded on the present site of Xian the capitals of the Han, Sui, Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties) is a microcosm of the Zhongguo (Middle Country) that Qin Shi Huang wanted both to unify (he imposed throughout the land a single system of writing, money, weights and measures) and to protect from the barbarians that could arrive from any direction (the army which watches over the dead emperor faces outward from the tomb).

Criterion VI. The mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang is associated with an event of universal significance: the first unification of the Chinese territory by a centralized state created by an absolute monarch in 221 B.C.

THE FDC COVER FOR SOKOL CONVENTION PRAGUE 1948 WITH CZECHOSLOVAK ANTHEM

This cover was published in Czechoslovakia in 1948 for its 11th SOKOL Convention.

"SOKOL" is a sport organization, Czechoslovak Sokol Community and Prague Sokol were played an important role by events around the foundation of the Czechoslovak Republic. This FDC includes 4 special overstamped stamps with the text:" PRAGUE 1948 Nationwide SOKOL Convention". On the cachet, we can see the words and music of Czechoslovak Anthem "Where is My Home" in Czech language. The size of the cover is 22 x 11 cm / 8.6 x 4.3 inches.

The FDC Cover for SOKOL Convention Prague 1948 with Czechoslovak Anthem and for occasional stamps.

'O Canada' on the 2011 Canadian Flag Definitive Stamps Series

The sheer number of places where the Canadian flag is found was the creative impetus to this stamp series. According to Liz Wong, Stamp Design Manager for the series, the challenge was to take a very common but much beloved image like the flag, an image people are familiar with seeing on a stamp, but approach it in a fresh new way and present the flag in ways in which it’s actually used. “The Canadian Pride series draws your attention to both the common – and uncommon – places the flag appears.”

The five Permanent domestic stamps in this year’s issue demonstrate both personal and official appearances of the flag; on a traveller’s backpack, a hot air balloon, the Canadarm, and both a Canadian soldier’s and a search and rescue expert’s uniforms.

The stylized “O” (for “O Canada”) not only acts as a symbol of the national anthem, it also serves as a means of focusing attention on the flag and its surroundings.

Liz Wong adds that “by framing the visual with the “O” of “O Canada”, this stamp series is totally and unapologetically patriotic.”

Iranian Anthem Composer, Ruhollah Khaleqi, on Stamp

On July 11, 2011, Iran issued a stamp on musician and composer Ruhollah Khaleqi known for his composition of Iran’s former national anthem "O, Iran". The stamp, printed in commemoration of the musician, was unveiled during a ceremony held on the side section of Iran’s National Orchestra performance in the presence of Iranian tar virtuoso Hossein Alizadeh.Khaleqi was brought up in a family of music lovers. He was a student of celebrated composer and musician Ali-Naqi Vaziri.His other credits include several books on music under the titles “History of Iranian Music” and “A View on Iranian Music.”

Rūhollāh Khāleqi (1906, Kerman, Iran – November 12, 1965, Salzburg, Austria) , also spelled as Khaleghi, was a prominent Iranian musician, composer, conductor and author. Ruhollah Khāleghi was born in Mahan, a small town near Kerman, in a musically minded family. He first became acquainted with the tar, but later started to learn to play the violin. As soon as Ali-Naqi Vaziri established his School of Music, Khāleghi left school and joined Vaziri's school, where he studied for eight years. Soon he became his master's assistant and was placed in charge of teaching music theory. He later continued his education and obtained a B.A. degree in Persian Language and Literature from the University of Tehran.

In 1944 Khāleghi established the National Music Society and in 1949, thanks to the efforts of this great artist, the School of National Music was founded. After his first journey to the former U.S.S.R. in 1955, he became involved in the Iran-Soviet Society and was selected as a member of its Board of Directors.

He also began to serve as the director of the Payām-e-Novin Magazine. His work, The History of Persian Music, which was published in two volumes, took shape during these years. His other published works include: Harmony of Western Music, Theory of Eastern Music, and Theory of Persian Music.

For many years Khāleghi worked as a musical advisor for Radio Iran and was one of the founders of the program known as Gol'hā (Flowers). He also conducted the Gol'hā Orchestra, for which he composed many pieces and revised the original compositions of his contemporaries as well as older masters, such as Āref and Sheydā. Although revised, the compositions retained all their original characteristics.

Khāleghi's compositions are not limited to what he wrote for Gol'hā. In addition to such masterpieces as Mey-e Nāb (Pure Wine), Āh-e Sahar (Sigh at Dawn), Hālā Cherā (Why Now?), and Chang-e Rudaki (Rudaki's Harp), he composed many other lyrical pieces and hymns, which were mostly patriotic. These include such works as Ey Iran (see Gholām-Hossein Banān) and the Hymn for Azarbaijan. Khāleghi established The National Music Society and Persian National Music Conservatory in 1949 in Tehran.

He died in 1965 in Salzburg, Austria and was buried in Zahir o-dowleh cemetery, Darband, Tehran.

China Anthem Composer, Ni Er, on Postcard

Nie Er (February 14, 1912 — July 17, 1935), was a Chinese composer. He is known for composing the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, the March of the Volunteers. In numerous Shanghai magazines he went by the English name "George Njal".

Nie Er's ancestors were from Yuxi, Yunnan, in southwest China. He was born in Kunming, Yunnan. From an early age Nie Er displayed an interest in music. From 1918 he studied at the Kunming Normal School's Associated Primary School. In his spare time, he learnt to play traditional instruments such as the dizi, erhu, sanxian, and yueqin, and became the conductor of the school's Children's Orchestra. In 1922 he entered the Private Qiushi Primary School (Senior Section), and in 1925 entered Yunnan Provincial Number One Combined Middle School.

In 1927 Nie Er graduated from Yunnan Provincial Number One Combined Middle School, and entered Yunnan Provincial Number One Normal School. At school, he participated in the Book Club, and organised the "Nine-Nine Music Society", which performed within the school and outside. During this time, he learnt to play the violin and the piano.

In June 1931, Nie Er entered the "Mingyue Musical Drama Society" as a violinist. In July 1932 he published A Short Treatise on Chinese Song and Dance, in which he criticised the Drama Society's president, Li Jinhui, as a result of which he was forced to leave the society. Prior to joining the Lianhua Film Studio on November 1932, he took part in shaping the Bright Moonlight Song and Dance Troupe. He later joined the musical group of the "Friends of the Soviet Union Society". He also organised the "Chinese Contemporary Music Research Group", which participated in the Leftist Dramatist's Union. In 1933, Nie Er joined the Communist Party of China.

In April 1934, Nie Er joined the Baak Doi record company and managed the musical section. In the same year he founded the Pathé National Orchestra. This was a prolific year for Nie Er in terms of musical output. In early 1935, he composed the March of the Volunteers. In January 1935 Nie Er became the director of the musical department of Lianhua Number Two Studio.

On July 17, 1935, he drowned while swimming in Japan, at the age of 23. He might have been en route to the Soviet Union, passing through Japan to receive training, sent by the Chinese Communist Party. Some suspect that he was killed by Japanese right-wing radicals. Others suspect that he was killed by Chinese Nationalists, as he was in Japan to flee from them. However, as he disappeared while swimming with his friends, killing him was difficult, and swimming in mid-July is a bit early there, so he most likely drowned. He was found by the local rescue team the following day. According to them and the police, the condition from his body was not different from that of ordinary drowned bodies.

Nie Er wrote a total of 37 pieces in his life, all in the two years before his death. A significant proportion of these songs reflected working class life and struggles. He often collaborated with lyricist Tian Han.

Galician Anthem Composer and Lyricist on a Special FDC Cancel

Pascual Veiga Iglesias ( April 9 of 1842 - Madrid , July 12 of 1906 ) was a musician, musical director, organist and composer of the National Anthem of Galicia.

Veiga started his musical studies as a child in the choir of the Cathedral Mindoniense. At thirteen he began to teach music theory and harmony in the chapel of the cathedral. In 1964 he moved to La Coruña and served as organist of the Church of Our Lady of the Field. In 1865 he was appointed vice president of Section Music Society Youth Fraternity. His dedication to music led him to win a prize in 1877 with the Glee Club Bragantino. He left year later, and founded the Glee Club Corunna. In 1880 he was invited by the Society of Floral Games of Pontevedra , and premiered his most emblematic work, the Alborada Gallega. Two years later he founded El Nuevo Orfeon, which soon became known as el Orfeon Echo, and that continues today. In 1889 he founded the Choral Society called Corunna Number 4, a group that won the gold medal and the Academic Palms during the Universal Exhibition of Paris of 1889. In 1896 he was living in Madrid, where he works as director of the Centro Galego Matritense Choir and at the same time developing the teaching at the National Conservatory of Music. He was also organist at the Church of St. Dominic of Betanzos and Collegiate A Coruña.

He died in 1906 in Madrid, and in 1912 his remains were transferred to Mondoñedo to be buried in a mausoleum dedicated by his admirers and friends. Six months after his death, the Galician Center Gran Teatro of Havana premiered ' The Pin , poem by Eduardo Pondal put in music by Veiga, who later was considered the anthem of Galicia.

Above is a FDC with a special cancel featuring the Galician anthem composer Pascual Veiga and lyricist Eduardo Pondal

The Anthem of Taiwan on Metered FDC

This is the First Day Cover of 2011 ROCUPEX Taipei Stamps Exhibition Meter Stamp from Formosa (Taiwan), Republic of China. The 2011 ROCUPEX Taipei Stamps Exhibition commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Republic (Oct 07-12,2011). This FDC, issued on October 7, 2011 features the image of National Anthem of the Republic of China. This cover is a design error with 2 wrong Chinese characters in the National Anthem of the meter stamp. The special meter shows the score of the National anthem. The anthem lyrics in traditional Chinese script is seen on the cachet. This FDC has a face value of 25 new Taiwan dollar.