Republic of China – surcharges

There are several groups of surcharges on definitives of the Republic of China beginning in 1922. In several important types, Chinese characters are arranged in a boxlike form in the center of definitives, using 4 or 5 characters, along with the value repeated in arabic numerals. Of those types, the right column notes a change is being made, the left column gives the value in Chinese.

Be aware that some provinces including Communist zones and occupation issues have used the same style on similar stamps, but often have inscriptions identifying then as such. Boxlike surcharges with 4 or 5 characters and using other characters than shown below are generally from province or occupation issues. Also, 4-character overprints on commemoratives are issues for the provinces. See: this page.

Republic of China surcharges fall into several groups:

Temporary use.png
The above characters read right to left "temporary use".  File:RoC 1922 surch.jpg|1922 2c on 3c surcharge. File:China 1c surch 1935.jpg|1935 1c on 2c surcharge. File:China 3 on 5 surch.jpg|c.1940 3c on 5c Hunan/Henan surcharge. 
 * The first was a First Peking print junk with stars in the corners. Several surcharges followed on the 1923 re-engraved junks and a couple of other values.
 * In 1937, a 1c on 4c Sun Yat-sen surcharge was released.
 * In 1938, two Martyrs stamps were surcharged.
 * In 1940-41, 3c surcharges and one 4c surcharge were issued by 7 different regional offices on various stamps. It should be understood that for this and all following issues, every office did not use every known type of stamp for overprinting.
 * In 1941, 7c surcharges were issued by 4 different regional offices.

Revised.png
The above characters read right to left "revised".  File:China half cent 1942 kiangsi.jpg|1942 1c on ½c Kiangsi surcharge. File:Chine E Szechwan 50c.jpg|50c on 16c East Szechwan surcharge. File:Chia 50c Kwangtung.jpg|50c on 16c Kwangtung surcharge. File:Roc Red surch 20c Kwangsi.jpg|1943 20c on 13c Kwangsi surcharge. 
 * In 1942, red 1c surcharges were issued by 9 different regional offices on various stamps. It should be understood that for this and all following issues, every office did not use every known type of stamp for overprinting.
 * In 1943, red 50c surcharges were issued by 10 different regional offices.
 * Also in 1943, red or black 20c surcharges were issued by 13 different regional offices.

National currency.jpg
These were used beginning in 1945. The above characters read right to left "national currency" and the overprints are known as the Chinese National Currency (CNC) surcharges. They can be spotted by the checkerboard pattern frame around the arabic numerals though that design was used by the Central China occupied area with different characters.  File:China CNC green.jpg|10c green CNC re-surcharge on occupied Central China stamp using the checkerboard pattern originally. That original surcharge was printed for Japanese authorities by the Nationalist post office (!). File:China Martyrs CNC box.jpg|Boxed form, Shanghai Union surcharge. File:China CNC high box.jpg|$70 on 13c Shanghai Union surcharge. File:China NY print octag CNC.jpg|Octagonal form, Chunking Dah Tung surcharge. 

Revised.png (Long box)
The above inscription led a horizontal string of characters of value with the values also inscribed in arabic numerals in a long box, giving that name to the overprint series. There are 4 different styles of surcharge. These were used in 1948 during a period of hyperinflation.  File:China long box.jpg|$40,000 on 20c 2nd Dah Tung surcharge. 

Gold yuan.png
The above characters read right to left "gold yuan", the revised currency as of late August 1948. A variety of major and minor designs were used. These were printed by 3 different printers also. This type overprint was used in 3 districts as well.  File:China half c gold yuan.jpg File:China gold yuan 3c.jpg File:China 20 gold yuan.jpg|20c on $6 Dah Yeh surcharge. File:China 100Y gold yuan.jpg|$100 on $1 Shanghai Union surcharge. File:China 200k gold yuan.jpg|$200,000 on $40,000 Foochow district surcharge. 

Revenue stamps were also surcharged for postal use. There are engraved or lithographed stamps by 4 different printers. Plus, there are several printers of the surcharges as well. All are inscribed in the top line (6 characters), followed by the denomination, the last line with the value in Chinese led by the "gold" character.  File:Rep China transport.jpg|$30 revenue showing the design buried under all that surcharging File:Gold Yuan on revenue.jpg File:Chin rev gold yuan Hankow.jpg 

Silver currency
In May 1949, revenues were once again surcharged, this time in the new silver currency. They now had in the top line (4 characters), the second line immediately following and led by the character, then the denomination. There were 3 different surcharge printers for the issue.

 File:China silver curre rev A.jpg

