China's New Year stamp

China released a special set of stamps to commemorate the "Year of the Rat," according to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

A release ceremony (shown above) was held in Changshun County in southwest China's Guizhou Province, as the Shuchang post office there is the only one that contains the Chinese character for "mouse" in its name. Many people rushed to the county to obtain the rat indicia, which only can be postmarked in Changshun.

Each set contains one stamp, which has a face value of 1.2 yuan, or approximately 16 U.S. cents.

A colorfully clothed rat is depicted on the stamp, which celebrates the beginning of the new year. It is the first stamp China Post has issued in 2008.

According to the report, collectors lined up in post offices across the country to purchase the stamps, which are the fifth set in China's third collection of zodiac stamps.