Christmas Island Year of the Rat 2020

Overview

Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival in China, is the most important of the traditional festivals celebrated by Asian cultures throughout the world, including on Christmas Island. New Year celebrations centre on the family. Incense is burned for ancestors; special food is prepared. Friends visit each other with presents, and cards are exchanged. Gifts of money wrapped in lucky red paper envelopes are distributed.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, 2020 is the Year of the Rat. The first sign in the Chinese zodiac, the clever and quick-witted Rat is considered a symbol of good luck and wealth.

In 2020, the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle begins again and so too does our Lunar New Year stamp series. The striking illustrations for the Year of the Rat stamp issue are by Yan Lin, a visual designer based in Sydney. The three stamps in this issue present the Rat as characters from traditional Peking Opera, which has its origins in the mid-Qing dynasty (1636–1912). The characters perform spectacular vocals, mime, dance and acrobatics in beautiful, ornate costumes. The stamps present the principal male role (sheng), the comedy role (chou) and the female role (dan). Performances often take place during Chinese New Year.

Technical specifications