Haiguo Dialog: Jin Feibao, from explorer to bird watcher

In the fifth talk, Sea Pot, a monkey-faced staffer with Yunnan Gateway, invited in Jin Feibao, explorer and Guinness record holder for the largest collection of bird stamps.

Revealing the secrets in the stamps, Jin told us how he changed from an adventurous mountain climber to a sentimental bird-stamp collector.

Q: As an explorer, why are you fond of collecting bird stamps?

A: I'm, above all, a stamp collector. In my adventurous mountain climbing, what I’ve seen the most are birds. There are 9,000 species of birds across the globe, and Yunnan along has over 1,000 species. That’s why it has been hailed as a kingdom of birds.     

 Q: What are the significant, or rather the impressive ones in your stamp collection?

A: In 1861, Australia published a stamp with black swans on it, kicking off publication of bird stamps worldwide. The stamp was printed on a traditional handcarved wooden board.     

The American duck stamp is used for sending letters. It’s also a game license.  

The United Nations also rolled out bird stamps in a bid to raise the public awareness in bird protection. This represents a common aspiration of the humanity.  

Q: By holding the stamp display, what message do you want to convey?

A: Birds are our friends. Through holding the bird-stamp exhibition, we hope to impart the public knowledge on bird species and stamps. Representing Kunming and Yunnan at large, we pay our special tribute to COP 15.

By Gateway reporters