Chinese Greetings Cards

Having worked in China during the 1980's and 90's I have friends there in both Mainland China and Hong Kong. Even two friends from there who now live in the UK.

During that time, I was sent the beautiful Greetings Cards below.

Sadly, having never been given 'Return Addresses' for most of them, I have lost touch with their senders.

This very traditional Christmas Card was sent to me from No2 Worsted Mill of Inner Mongolia in 1984. There is no Senders Name, unfortunately. 

I worked in Hohhot, the capital, with the staff of No2 Worsted Mill where we installed and set up a factory for them to make Men's Tailored Suits. 

This Christmas Card was sent to me by Mr Sun Rusheng of the State Bureau of Foreign Experts, Beijing . 

Mr Sun was my host during a 4 day holiday there during which I attended a State Reception on the Eve of the National Day on 30th September in 1986 

The front pages of both of the above cards are separate slips of very thin paper on which the picture is printed. This one above has then been hand coloured.

The Front Cover of my official invitation to the State Reception.

The very large gathering of Embassy Staffs and our band of 12 Foreign Experts all got to meet the Government and the then Premier Zhou Ziyang. (The one who disappeared from office following the Tiananmen Square Shootings) 

This New Year Card from 1986 was send by Mr Song Duo Jing, also from the same state Bureau and my tour guide during those 4 days. 

Inside he 'Welcomes me back to China' which unfortunately I was unable to do due to my role in the UK.

Later they offered me a two week lecture tour of the country, which I was also unable to take up.

This pretty New Year card was sent from Hong Kong by Zhou Sue Ping (Zita).

Zita was Secretary from our company's Hong Kong Office who had accompanied our group to Hohhot as our Secretary & Interpreter.

Another very Traditional Card sent to me by Mr Wu Jun, a Young Big & Handsome Mongolian, who came to the UK for training as one of a delegation of 6 trainees. 

He became the Head Technician in the Hohhot Suit Factory. 

This card has no name attached that I can read as everything inside is written in Chinese, so I have no idea where it was sent from.

This Christmas card was sent from / or purchased in China by Wong Mei Lan (Mei).

Mei is a Garment Technologist and Tailoress who was another of our Hong Kong Staff back then who came to China with our large group during my first ever visit to Hohhot in January 1984.  

Mei was trained in the UK and now lives permanently in the UK

Another Christmas Card from Mr Wu Jun. The eyes are of that early corrugated material that makes the pupils move when viewed from different angles. 

A totally different New Year Card sent to me by 'Lily' from the Hohhot Suit Factory.

'Lily' was just a young machinist who during training her, I discovered could speak and write english. A very Valuable asset to me when there were no Hong Kong Secretaries to do that work. 

Lily became the Factory Interpreter, raising her status there considerably.

  Another Christmas Card from Mr Song Dou Jing. This one includes that ancient Chines Art of Paper Cutting Filigree in the red part. 

I imagine that this one is machine made?

  

This last Traditional Scene is a New Year Card also sent to me by Mei in 2005. 

Mei still keeps in touch, usually with an equally pretty Chinese Card for my Birthday each year.

I hope you found these cards, and a little of my history, interesting.

Frank