Shanghai Postal Museum open for business

The Shanghai Daily reports that China's first postal museum opened its doors on Jan. 1.

At the new Shanghai Postal Museum, rare stamps and other articles depicting the history of China Post are on display together with horsedrawn carriages, cars, trucks and planes which were used to transport the mail in the 1920s.

According to the article, China joined the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1914. That same year, the Shanghai Post Bureau began handling international mail.

In a related story, the paper reports more than 100 people lined up in the cold yesterday morning at the museum for the new Year of the Dog stamps.

The first zodiac stamp, the Year of the Monkey, issued in China in 1980. Zodiac stamps soon became a hot item among collectors. Each year hundreds of stamp collectors and others crowded outside post offices in freezing weather.

Starting last year, the Shanghai Post Bureau invited customers to wait inside its office building rather than on the street. Officials now also provide hot tea and snacks at night.

For a history of the China Post, click here.