Chinese starlet Li Yuchun, champion of "Super Girls", an "American Idol"-type pop star contest, will soon appear on stamps, the first time a pop star has had such an honor.

On Wednesday, the China National Philatelic Corp. will issue a series of eight stamps and a set of eight commemorative envelopes of Li, and the issuing ceremony will be held Thursday in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, sources said Tuesday.

Li was named champion of the live, three-hour finale of "Super Girls 2005" in August, a television "American Idol"-type pop star contest that attracted millions of viewers, and has since become one of the most popular singers in China.

Pop stars have never become the theme of stamps before, though China has issued commemorative stamps of famous artists such as the late Beijing Opera master Mei Lanfang.

The Li stamps are designed by well-known designer Guo Chenghui. The series of stamps will sell at 36 yuan (US$4.5) and the set of envelopes 38 yuan (US$4.75).

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2006)