In July 2002, the State Postal Bureau issued a set of three stamps, whose theme is Antarctic scenery.

The first stamp depicts an iceberg. Antarctica is where 90 percent of the world's ice exists. Each year countless icebergs --massive bodies of ice that have broken away from glaciers, float majestically through the sea, and are a magnificent scenic feature of Antarctica.

The second stamp shows the Southern Lights, probably the most beautiful sight in Antarctica. These lights, which appear as rays of different color and shape, at times resembling a searchlight beam, and at others a silk ribbon, turn the region into a fairyland.

The third stamp pictures the Grove Mountains -- a range of diverse topography, covering an area of 3,200 square kilometers. Chinese scientists were the first to conduct a topographical survey of the area, during which ancient soil, melting ice pools, pyramid-shaped ice accumulations, and indigenous Antarctic rillstones were discovered.

In all three stamps, the distant view and foreground complement one another. Glaciers are shown at their edge, and penguins, symbol of Antarctica, are also featured.

To date, 100 scientific investigation stations have been set up in Antarctica, by nearly 20 countries. In 1984, Chinese scientists set up the Great Wall Station, on King George Island in West Antarctica, which was followed in December 1988 by a second -- Zhongshan Station.