Is There A Topic On The Sun?

The Sun God Helios in his chariot drawn by two of his mighty steeds carrying the sun across the sky. Greece 1935

Hi, Kris, these two suns are realistic photos, aren't they? Really enjoy watching them just like watching real scenery. And the motto reminds me that China has also put emphasis on green powers development and solar power appears on stamps frequently in the last few years.

70 Years Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China
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The 19th Conference of the National People's Congress

A newer stamp depicting Helios, this time he has his two winged steeds along. Notice Greece on the small section of Earth below.

(Idebee, Those are lovely stamps showing so many projects to stop climate change. Solar panels, wind turbines, planting trees, among them. K.)

Hi, Kris, it's interesting that ancient Chinese has a similar imagination about the sun crossing the sky. It's also in a chariot, while the driver is a female called Xi He, mother of 10 suns.


The 10 suns should go onto sky in order everyday, but one day they disobey heavenly orders and got onto sky together for fun. This caused great drought on earth, then there appeared a hero called Hou Yi, who shot down 9 of them and saved people . According to historians, what Hou Yi did is actually conquering 9 eastern minority tribes who worshiped the sun.

In a children's drawing contest about saving the Earth's climate, one child painted a grim sun, much too hot. 2010

Idebee, That is a fascinating legend! Is that a three-legged raven with Xi He? And Dragons with antlers! WOW K.

Hi, Kris, you are quite right, glad you noticed that 3rd leg, even I don't know it has three legs until recent research for this topic! Actually, the sun has a nickname in Chinese, the golden crow, which is the essence of the sun, and the crows are believed to perch on a legendary huge tree in the eastern sea, so when they are shot down in the second stamp, they turn into a big falling bird.

Roosters are often depicted together with the rising sun . As the previous story continues, the only sun left escaped into the bottom of sea and won't show up again because of fear to be shot. The earth is in darkness and too cold for people to live this time. And then another hero appeared, but this time what people need was not a shooter but a lobbyist. A rooster went to persuade the sun to do his duty, and the sun finally agreed but needed the rooster to give him a personal guarantee. So the rooster begins to crow his guarantee and call out the sun every morning.

Another beautiful sunset. 2012

Two more suns, stylized, from the United States:

1961 issue honoring Dr. Sun Yat Sen. Scott #1188



And 1942 issue honoring Chinese fight against the Japanese, Scott #906




-- Jonathan

Crowing rooster and rising sun are really a good combination! And there are many poems on this subject too!

Hi, Jonathan, thanks! Stylized suns are really a good sub category of the sun topic. I used to love flags very much, your flags remind me that there are many suns on the flags of countries around the world. I suppose it can even make a good topic by itself: The Sun Flags, and studying and comparing the meanings of the sun in different cultures must be very interesting!

The most well-known rooster at sunrise is perhaps the Gallic rooster (genus: Gallus) done by Decaris for French definitives from the early 1960s on. It was even reissued in 2013! The earlier roosters did not have the sunrise next to them. (Your legends are wonderful, Idebee!)

Hi, Kris, thanks#65292;glad you like them! Old stamps are really exquisite, which makes stamps an art. As for the Gallic rooster, we have seen really quite a few during the last World Cup! :-)
Adding the sun in the background is a good idea and makes a perfect design!

rooster FDC with coin, coin as sun, sun with rooster, an interesting combination!

Another rooster & sun combo:


This one came on a letter in today's mail!

Hi,John, thank you very much, nice stamps! The first one reminds me of a similar Chinese stamp. Maybe we can start a topic especially on the wind vanes, and it must be interesting to see different designs of different countries around the world! The second one is interesting drawing and makes people smile, but I just cannot understand the meaning of the rope on the left. Is there any implications of something like united together to protect the environment?