A postal official shows stamps marking the Chinese traditional lunar Jichou Year of 2009 at a post office in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province on Monday, January 5, 2009. The stamps, with the image of ox marking the Jichou Year of 2009, were issued by the State Post Bureau nationwide on Monday. [Photo: Xinhua]
Shanghai Post Company started selling Year of the Ox stamps early this morning at 78 post offices around the city.
China Post has issued the stamp in celebration of the Chinese lunar Year of the Ox, which begins on January 26.
The stamps, which depict running red cattle, have a face value of 1.2 yuan ($US0.18) and come with a special souvenir certificate.
The first buyer lined up at Shanghai Post Museum for about 24 hours for the animal stamps of which a total of 80,000 sets will be issued in Shanghai.
China Post began issuing stamps based on Chinese zodiac signs in 1980, the Year of the Monkey. The Ox is the second of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac and is an emblem of spring and agriculture.
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