Commemorative Cancellations used in Manchukuo

1936 to 1939

Zirkle 21 - Issued 27th June 1936
Issued by 奉天小東開 Mukden Small East Gate Post Office.

奉天市制施行水道竣工紀念 reads Commemorating the Establishment of Mukden Municipal Government – Completion of the Waterworks.

This cancel is in celebration of the completion of the waterworks at 奉天 Mukden. The cancel shows the city gate and above this the city emblem. The waterworks project was completed on 27th June 1936 and the cancel marks the date of its opening.

This cancel is limited to Mukden. Most examples show 奉天 Fengtian, much harder to find are the marks of the 15 smaller Post Offices within the city, one of which appears above.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and blue only.

Zirkle 22 - Issued 26th July 1936
This example was issued in 新京 Hsinking.

郵政記念日制定紀念 reads Commemorating the Establishment of Postal Services Day.

This celebrates the fourth anniversary of the Postal Services of Manchukuo. It shows the Postal Service flag and the National Flag crossing with a symbolic dove of peace.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, dark red and reddish brown.

Zirkle 23 - Issued 10-19th September 1936
This example was issued in 哈爾濱 Harbin.

哈爾濱防空演習紀念 reads Commemorating the Harbin Air Defence Exercise.

This cancel was used to publicise the 哈爾濱 Harbin Air Defence Exercises that took place between 17th and 19th of September. The design features a searchlight battery locating enemy aircraft. The main threat was the Russian Air Force, who having watched the invasion of China by Japan, made sure it had a significant number of air bases on the Chinese border.

Eight Post Office in Harbin were authorised to use this cancel.

This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Roman figure can read  10, 11, 12 , 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 (above) and 19.

Size 36mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, red and reddish brown, dull pink.

Issued  18th to 19th September 1936. (Japanese year date 9) not listed by Zirkle - SMRZ Post Offices only.
This example was issued by 新京中央 Hsinking Central P.O.

満洲事変五周年記念 reads Commemorating the Fifth Anniversary of the Manchurian Incident.

The design features a artillery shells and kaolin stalks either side of an image of the Mukden Incident Medal.

This cancel has a changeable day date which can read 18th (above) or 19th.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red

Issued 1st October 1936  (Japanese year date) not listed by Zirkle - SMRZ Post Offices only.
This was issued at 新京中央 Hsinking Central P.O.

関東局始政三十年 祝賀式記念 reads Commemorating 30 Years of the Kwantung Office, or Thirty year celebration of the start of the Kwantung Office

 Design features; a large stylized chrysanthemum surrounded by auspicious clouds.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red

Zirkle 24 - Issued 1st December 1936
This example was issued in 阜新 Fu-hsin (Chinchou City)

郵政轉賬儲金開始紀念 reads Commemorating the Inauguration of Postal Transfer System.

The image used in this cancel is that of an ancient Chinese coin. The cancel represents the start of the Postal Transfer System, this facilitates the transfer of money between postal savings accounts. Money is debited from one savings account and credited to another.

The use of this cancel was widespread, it was available from 16 Post Offices in Hsinking and 55 others throughout Manchukuo.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, red and reddish brown, dull pink.

Zirkle 25 - Issued 5th Dec 1936.
This example was issued in 新京 Hsinking.

國務院公廳竣工紀念 reads Commemorating the Completion of State Council Building.

This cancel is in recognition of the completion of the State Capital Building. Hsinking.

Zirkle writes that this building cost 6½ million Yen in 1936, when she wrote her book in 1962 she calculated this as the equivalent of $800,000. I checked, at the end of 2009 this translates to over $5,600,000, giving some idea of the scale of the project in today's terms.

The use of this cancel was limited to Hsinking.

Size 47mm x 38mm. Known colours - deep violet, reddish brown and brown.

Zirkle 26 - Issued 1st to 3rd March 1937
This example was issued in 哈爾濱 Harbin.

建國五周年紀念 reads Commemorating the Fifth Anniversary of the Founding of the State.

5th Anniversary of the Founding of the State - Wings and Torch. This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Roman figure can read 1, 2, or 3. 1 being the most common.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, black, green, reddish brown and vermillion.

Zirkle 27 - Issued 1st to 3rd May 1937.
This example was issued in 蓮山 Lien-Shan.

壷蘆島開港紀念 reads Commemorating the Opening of Hulutao Port.

This cancel is in recognition of the nearing completion of the port of Hulutao which opened on 1st May1937. It was the focus of export in Jehol, Chin-chou and the four Mongolian provinces of Hsing-an. 蓮山 Lien-shan (later renamed Chin-Hsi now Jinxi) was in Chin-Chou province.

An error by Zirkle shows a date of 1st to 3rd March 1937, she also shows a Chinese description comprising of a row of vertical characters next to her image - these are not part of the cancel and may have been included by accident.

Zirkle also points out an error concerning the top RH character which is incorrect, Zirkle's explanation is a little confusing so here is an illustration, the HU and K'UN characters are common in both langauages.

This cancel could only be obtained at the Post Offices in Hulutao and Lien-shan.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and red.

Zirkle 28 - Issued 2nd to 4th May 1937.
This example was issued in 新京 Hsinking.

訪日宣詔紀念 reads Commemorating the Imperial Rescript for the Visit to Japan.

This is a cancel in celebration of the second anniversary of the Imperial Rescript. When the Emperor returned from his first visit to Japan he issued an Imperial Rescript in celebration of the indivisible bond between the two countries.

This cancel has a changeable date, the Chinese day date figure can read  2 (above), 3 or 4.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, and red.

Zirkle 29 - Issued 9th May 1937 only.
Issued in 奉天 Mukden only.

奉天市民祭紀念 reads Commemorating the Mukden City Festival.

Cancel in celebration of the 1937 Mukden City Festival sponsored by the Mukden Municipal Authorities and the South Manchurian Railway Company. The cancel features a picture of the famous stone elephant and the mausoleum, with the town crest bottom centre. The festival was used to promote industry within the city.

Available in Mukden only.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and red.

Zirkle 30 - Issued 14th to 15th May 1937.
Issued in 海拉爾 Hailar only.

海拉爾防空演習紀念 reads Commemorating the Hailar Air Defense Exercise.

Similar to cancel number 23 (top of page), the panel at the bottom reads 海拉爾 Hailar instead of Harbin and is to advertise air defence exercises. Hailar was close to the Soviet border and the Japanese were very concerned about the possibility of an air attack.

Available in Hailar only.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and red.

Zirkle 31 - Issued 6th to 8th July 1937.
This example was issued in 延吉 Yenki.

間島防空宣伝週間紀念 reads Commemorating the Chien-tao Air Defence Propaganda Week.

A propaganda cancel promoting awareness of Chien-tao Air Defence Week. Chien-tao was a district very close to the Russian border, West of Vladivostok, the Russian air force was seen as the main threat in the region at this time. This is a regional cancel and appears with local town names such as Yenki (above) and 龍井 Lungchingts'un in addition to Chien-tao.

A total of 19 Post Offices in the Chien-tao district were able to issue this cancel.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, and red.

Zirkle 32 - Issued 26th and 28th July 1937.
This example was issued in 公主嶺 Kung-Chu-Ling.

郵政五周年紀念 reads Commemorating the Fifth Anniversary of the Postal Administration.

The above commemorative cancel  features a large stylized "Yu" character which is the symbol of the Manchukuo Postal Service, it also appears on the Manchukuo post office flag. The five stars symbolise the 5th Anniversary of the state.

This is another widespread cancel being available from a total of 333 Post Offices.

Size 35.5mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, black, vermillion, green, reddish purple and red.

Zirkle 33 - Issued 31st July to 3rd August 1937.
This example was issued in 安東 Antung.

全満防空演習紀念 reads Commemorating the National Air Defence Exercise.

A propaganda cancel promoting awareness of a country wide series of Air Defence Manoeuvres.

Available from 9 Post Offices in Hsinking, plus 35 others.

Size 35.5mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, olive and red.

Zirkle 34 - Issued 16-18th September 1937.
This example was issued by 四平街 Sze-ping-chieh Post Office.

國都建設紀念 reads Commemorating the Construction of the Capital City.

Construction of the Capital City. The Capital Construction Bureau declared it had completed the task of rebuilding 新京 Hsinking on 16th September 1937 and this cancel was issued in honour of that occasion.

This cancel could be obtained from 340 Post Offices nation-wide.

Size 34.5mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, black, vermillion, green, reddish purple and red.

Zirkle 35 - Issued 1st to 3rd November 1937.
This example was issued in 西安 Hsi-an (now Xi'an famous for the terra-cotta army).

錦州郵政管理局開局紀念 reads Commemorating the Opening of the Chinchou Postal Management Bureau.

A Cancel celebrating the opening of the Chin-chou Postal Services Advisory Bureau. This shows the postal emblem top, surrounded by illustrations of the sights of Chin-Chou, notably the crumbling Famen (Kosaigi) Temple. Chin-Chou was the regional capital for Chin-Chou province.

This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Roman figure can read  1 (above), 2 or 3.

Issued from Chin-chou Post Office and 61 others.

Size 36mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, and blue.

Zirkle 36 - Issued 28th to 30th November 1937.
Issued in 南灤平 Nan-Luan'ping only.

廳舎落成紀念 reads Commemorating the Completion of the Post Office Building Nan-luanp’ing.

A Cancel to mark the opening a new Post Office in 南灤平 Nan-Luan'ping (Jehol). The image features the new Post Office, the postal emblem and the Great Wall of China.

This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Roman figure can read  28, 29 or 30.

Issued in Nan-luan'ping only.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, red and blue. It is probable that the only genuine cancels are deep violet, other colours are likely to be unauthorised later strikes or fakes.

Zirkle 37 - Issued 1 - 3rd December 1937.
This example was issued in 新京 Hsinking.

治外法權撤廢紀念 reads Commemorating the Abolition of Extraterritorial Rights.

This cancel shows the symbolic five bats ("wu fu", the five blessings - health, wealth, long life, love of virtue and a peaceful death) circling a torch, and is to commemorate the abolition of extraterritorial rights.

This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Chinese day date figure can read 1 (above), 2 or 3.

Size 35.5mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue,  and red.

Zirkle 38 - Issued 27th April - 3rd May 1938.
Issued in 新京 Hsinking only.

訪日宣詔紀念躍進満洲國展覧會紀念 reads Commemorating the Manchoukuo Leaping Forward Exhibition Commemorating the Japan Visit Imperial Rescript.

This is another cancel celebrating the Imperial Rescript signified by the chrysanthemum and orchid motif at the base.

The cogwheel design is a reference to the exhibition held in Hsinking 27th April - 3rd May 1938.

All examples that I have seen have been issues by the 新京中央 Hsinking Central Post Office, so this may be the only version of the postmark available.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - reddish brown (above), mauve and red.

Zirkle 39 - Issued 27th May to 2nd June 1938.
Issued in 瀋陽 Shenyang Mukden only.

躍進満洲國勢展覧會紀念 reads Commemorating the Manchoukuo Leaping Forward National Conditions Exhibition.

This cancel commemorates the Rapidly Progressing Manchukuo National Conditions Exhibition. This is the same exhibition as Zirkle 38, but with small differences. It closed in Hsinking on 27th May and opened in Mukden on the 2nd June.

The use of 瀋陽 Shenyang the traditional Chinese town name, instead of the more common 奉天 Fengtian is puzzling.

This cancel has a changeable date, the Chinese day date figure can read  27 (above),28,29,30,1, or 2.

This cancel was only available from one Post Office in Mukden.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet only. 

Zirkle 40 - Issued 26th July 1938.
This example was issued in 奉天 Mukden.

郵政紀念日reads Commemorating Postal Service Day,

 The cancel commemorates the third anniversary of the Manchukuo postal service. The design features the postal emblem below a rather surprised looking pigeon bounded by orchids, kaolin and auspicious clouds.

This is a very widespread cancel available form 362 Post Offices throughout Manchukuo.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, green, black  and red. 

Zirkle 41 - Issued 1st October 1938.
This example was issued in 撫順 Fushun.

郵政生命保険創始周年紀念 reads Commemorating the founding of Postal Life Insurance and the anniversary of Medical Registration.

This cancel shows a bowl with the post office emblem containing what Zirkle describes as the three auspicious fruits, Pomegranate, Peach and Orange to symbolize many sons a long life and happiness.

Either the artist is very poor or Zirkle is wrong about this - can you see an orange? In any event, the cancel is to promote postal life insurance policies.

This cancel was available from 274 different Post Offices.

Size 35.5mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, blue, and red.

Zirkle 42 - Issued 15th October 1938.
This example was issued in 新京 Hsinking.

満洲國赤十字社創立紀念 reads Commemorating the Establishment of the Manchoukuo Red Cross Society.

This cancel celebrates Founding of the Red Cross Society in Manchukuo. At the base of this card you will see two characters separated by a sprig of laurel, this is the name of the post office, if the name of the post office needed more than two characters the laurel sprig is missing. Example here.

The characters for "Red Cross" are written as  赤十字社 sekijūji , which is the Japanese way of writing the name  with "seki" meaning "red" and  jūji    meaning "(Chinese) character 10"    The Chinese write the name as 江十字  "Hungshihtzu" The difference being in the character for "red" Hung in Chinese; a character the Japanese use to mean "red" in certain cases. 

In associating the name of the Red Cross with the Chinese character for 10, the symbol is not with the Christian cross and therefore there is no need to change it as in the middle East. My thanks to Richard Arent for pointing this out.

This cancel was available from 93 different Post Offices.

Size 30mm x 30mm. Known colours - deep violet, red and black.

Zirkle 43 - Issued 1st to 7th December 1938.
Issued in 奉天 Mukden only.

富家強國實践展覧會紀念 reads Commemorating the Exhibition for the Realization of Prosperous Families Strong Country.

This cancel celebrates an Exhibition to publicize the national thrift movement and promote 'Prosperous Families and a Strong Nation', in the foreground is the stone lion and dragon pillar that stand in front of Mukden Mausoleum, behind these is the Mukden Municipal Hall.

This cancel has a changeable date, the Western day date figure can read  1, 2 (above), 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

This cancel was only available from Mukden Central Post Office.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red only.

Zirkle 44 - Issued 25th December 1938.
This example was issued in 新京 Hsinking.

満華航空郵便創始紀念 reads Commemorating the Start of Air Mail Service between Manchoukuo and China

This cancel marks the first flight of an airmail service from cities in Manchukuo, 新京 Hsinking and 奉天 Mukden, together with Dairen in the KLT to the Chinese cities of Peking, Tientsin, Tsinan and Tsingtao.

This cancel was available from only 9 Post Offices including Hsinking, Mukden and Chinchou (a Chinese service operated between Chinchou City and Peking).

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, red and blue. The blue is a later strike and cannot be considered a legitimate usage.

    I have found the "Philatelic Gazetteer of Manchoukuo and Kwantung Leased Territory, South Manchurian Railway Zone" by George A Fisher very useful in researching the place names shown in this section. The publishers are the International Society for Japanese Philately Inc. (ISBN 0-934282-09-9)