A long time ago, a Chinese prince was cast away to Borneo when his ship sank, and was rescued by the natives. When he recovered, he become one of the people of the village and married a local woman. After some years, he started to feel homesick, so asked the permission from his newly family to visit his parents. In China he was very welcomed, but his parents told him that he was betrothed to a princess of a neighbouring kingdom. Having no choice, he obeyed with a heavy heart. Meanwhile, his wife waiting him with baited breath, and, because the village was situated far away from the coast, she climb to the highest mountain nearby at every sunrise, to see the ships sailing in the South China Sea. After a while, she fell ill and died waiting. The mountain's spirit, impressed by her loyalty, turned her into a stone which face the South China Sea, to could wait forever her husband's return. Also impressed, the people decided to name the mountain Kinabalu (Cina Balu means "A Chinese Widow").
Located in Borneo, in the East Malaysian state of Sabah, Mount Kinabalu (4,095m) is the highest mountain between the Himalayas and New Guinea. It is protected as Kinabalu Park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The mountain and its surroundings are among the most important biological sites in the world, with over 4500 species of plant, 326 species of birds, and 100 mammalian species identified, among which is the gigantic Rafflesia plants and the orangutan. The site has a diverse biota and high endemism. The altitudinal and climatic gradient from tropical forest to alpine conditions combine with precipitous topography, diverse geology and frequent climate oscillations provide conditions ideal for the development of new species.
About the stamp
The stamp is part of the series Children’s Hobbies, which features the Malaysian cartoon superhero, BoBoiBoy. The series contain six stamps with the same value (60c):
• Playing Soccer
• Fishing
• Playing Music
• Photography
• Collecting Stamps
• Baking Cookies
This is a post for Postcard Friendship Friday #154, hosted on Beth's blog The Best Hearts are Crunchy. Click on the button below to visit all the other participants.
References
Mount Kinabalu - Wikipedia
Kinabalu Park - UNESCO official website
sender: Erica Chan (direct swap)
sent from Sandakan (Sabah / Malaysia), on 19.11.2012
No comments:
Post a Comment