France issues special stamps marking Year of Dragon

France's La Poste Group unveiled a pair of stamps on Friday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon.

One stamp depicts a flying dragon against a blue background, and the other features a dragon against a red background with its head thrown back.

The style combines the techniques of traditional Chinese realistic and Xieyi paintings, literally meaning "writing the idea," which invites people into fairy tales and mythological stories about the Chinese dragon, explained Chen Jianghong, a French artist of Chinese origin who designed the set.

La Poste Group has celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year in France by issuing Chinese zodiac stamps since 2005. This year's ceremony occurred on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

"A revered totem of the Chinese nation since the dawn of time, the Chinese dragon was considered an auspicious animal, as our ancestors attributed to it the ability to bring rain, ward off disaster and bless mankind," said Lu Shaye, Chinese ambassador to France. "It also embodies our national spirit of dynamism, perseverance and tolerance."

"With this magnificent symbol, we wish even more progress to the China-France relations," he added.

The release of the special stamps provides an excellent opportunity to discover more about this part of Chinese culture, said Jean-Paul Forceville, director of European and International Affairs of La Poste Group.

As 2024 marks the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, numerous events will be held to celebrate the bilateral friendship, Forceville said, adding La Poste Group will continue to work closely with China Post.