1968 Classic Folk Dances and Mask Dances Definitive Series of Singapore

Singapore issued stamps depicting classical folk dances to promote racial harmony in the country in light of racial unrest that occurred four years prior to their release. These stamps are the first definitive stamps released by the Republic of Singapore.

The following stamps were issued:

• 5c -Sword Dance. The actors of Kembu or Sword Dance enact mock fights with very light and blunt aluminum katana sword props.
• 6c -Lion Dance. The lion dance is usually performed during Chinese New Year. Actors wear a lion costume and mimic its movements. The traditional dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune.
• 10c – Bharatnatyam. Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest surviving classical dance of south India. The dancer conveys stories through dance movements and mime. The lady shown in the stamp is Mrs Santha Bhaskar, who was born in Kerala, India and became a Singapore citizen in 1960.

• 15c – Tari Payong. Payung is a version of other Malay dances from Sumatra, Indonesia where payung (umbrella) is the main prop used in this dance. The dance symbolizes affection and the relationship of young people and is usually performed by three or four dancers. 
• 20c – Kathak Kali. Kathakali is a 300 year old classical dance form of Kerala that combines facets of ballet, opera, masque and the pantomime. The dance form retells stories from Indian epics.
• 30c – Ling Chung & Lu Chih Shen. The Chinese opera is a centuries old musical art form involving music, dance, acting, mime, comedy, tragedy, acrobatics and martial arts. A prominent aspect is that the faces of the actors are painted to depict the nature of the characters. Ling Chung and Lu Chih-Shen are Liangshan heroes from Water Margin, one of the four great masterworks in China.

• 50c -Tari Lilin. Tari Lilin is a Malayan candle dance in which the dancers move to music while ensuring that the plates holding the candles remain horizontal and the candles remain lit.
• 75c – Tarian Kuda Kepang. Tarian Kuda Kepang is a Javanese art that used an artificial horse made of bamboo as a prop. The dance originated as an appreciation and support for Prince Diponegoro's cavalry in the face of the Dutch colonialists.
• $1- Yao Chi. Yao Qi with an old black-cross face is the leading character in "Grass-Bridge Pass." They adapted this opera from an episode in "Popular Romance of the Western Han," a novel by Xie Zhao of the Ming Dynasty. 

Apart from attempting to bring harmony in a vivid Singaporean society, the stamps also showcased the cultural richness that was present in the island country.