Australia - The 2009 Year of the Ox Souvenir Sheet of 2 Stamps

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The Lunar New Year - Year of the Ox, a 2009 souvenir sheet of 2 stamps from Australia.

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In 2009, Australia Post continues with its tradition of issuing stamps to celebrate lunar new year, the most important of the traditional Chinese festivals. The stamps feature the calligraphic symbol for the Ox and its pictorial derivation.

The ancient Chinese Lunar Calendar dates back beyond 2,600 BC. Based on the appearance of the new moon, it associates a different animal with each year in the 12-year lunar cycle. The Ox symbolizes loyalty and tenderness and is highly respected in traditional Chinese society signifying prosperity through fortitude and hard work.

This minisheet depicts Laozi, a prominent thinker in ancient China. A native of Chu, a southern state in the Zhou dynasty, he served as a keeper of archival records at the court.

Confucius (551–479 B.C. or 2,500 years ago) was a contemporary. Witnessing the decline of Zhou, he departed for the wilderness on his faithful ox. Upon reaching the border he was asked to put his teachings into writing. The result was a book titled Daode jing, which today is one of the most translated works in world literature. The influence of Laozi on Chinese culture is reflected in philosophic thought, literature, calligraphy, painting, music and other cultural traditions.