From mahjong to mail: Tiger Pan designs snake stamp

Next year, if you receive mail from Liechtenstein with a Year of the Snake stamp on it, you might wonder why the stamp is printed with a mahjong tile image. Upon closer inspection, you will discover that the image actually depicts two small green snakes.

The Year of the Snake stamp by Tiger Pan.

Shenzhen designer Pan Hu, better known as Tiger Pan, cleverly incorporated elements of Chinese mahjong with snake imagery for the Year of the Snake stamp issued by the Liechtenstein Post.

Mahjong, a game that originated in China and is popular in East Asia, is played with tiles. Four players take turns drawing and discarding tiles until one player completes a winning hand of specific tiles.

For Pan, mahjong is more than just a pastime. He believes its essence lies in finding opportunities amid chaos to create order and balance. He views mahjong as a means of connection between people and a representation of Eastern cultural heritage.

Pan said that when he was designing the Year of the Snake stamp, he instinctively thought of mahjong. Drawing inspiration from the “eight bamboos” tile, which features eight bamboo sticks, he found that he didn’t need to exert much effort to transform the bamboo image into that of a snake. The unique stamp expresses the depth of Chinese culture in a friendly and interesting way.

Pan also noted that the stamp symbolizes his hope for today’s world — to seek cooperation amid competition while finding common ground and overcoming differences. “Modern society brings a lot of uncertainty and even chaos, much like the disordered tiles at the beginning of a mahjong game. Everyone needs to find their way and seek balance amid the chaos,” Pan said.

He continued, “The Chinese zodiac sign of the snake symbolizes wisdom, insight, and calmness, which naturally combines with mahjong’s elements of courage and strategy in the stamp design. Through this intriguing game, I hope to express the aspirations of many people — equality, freedom, less harm, fewer conflicts, better jobs, and happier lives.”

Pan is a signed artist of the United Nations Postal Administration and has previously created stamps for the Year of the Dog, Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rabbit, and Year of the Dragon. With over two decades of experience in the product packaging design industry, he is known for his innovative designs for numerous prominent brands, such as Luckin Coffee, Mengniu, and Tsingtao Beer.