This used 1 cent surcharge stamp from 1897 belongs to the Empress Dowager's Birthday issue, a significant transitional series in the philatelic history of Imperial China. Originally printed as a 3 candarin stamp to celebrate the 60th birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi, this example bears a red-orange one-cent overprint applied during the currency reform that introduced cent-based denominations. The base design showcases an imperial dragon amidst clouds, a motif deeply symbolic of imperial authority and longevity, rendered in lithography by the Statistical Department in Shanghai. This particular version is identified as the small figure overprint, catalogued as Michel CN-IM 17IVb, Scott CN-IM 57, Yvert et Tellier CN 25B(B), Stanley Gibbons CN-IM 79, and China Stamp Society CN-IM 75. It is printed in vivid red orange with no watermark and variable perforation, typical of the time. The stamp was in use during a crucial reform era when China’s postal system was adapting to modern practices under both internal and foreign pressures. Its floral-themed framing and imperial dragon iconography lend it aesthetic and cultural weight as an emblem of late Qing philatelic art. Condition Used with partial cancellation, bright color, minor wear consistent with postal use. Estimate "$80 – 120".