Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year Full Sheet of 20 x 33-Cent Postage Stamps USA 1999 Scott 3272

The U.S. Postal Service celebrated the Year of the Rabbit with the issuance of a 33-cent stamp on January 5, 1999, in Los Angeles, California. Artist, Clarence Lee, of Honolulu, HI, created a distinctively modern and Chinese design with a paper-cut two dimensional look. A professional calligrapher, Lau Bun, wrote Kanji characters to state the name of each stamp on the left side. Kanji is a Japanese adaptation to Chinese characters and can be read by a variety of Asian groups from differing countries and cultures. One of twelve in the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit symbolizes generosity, kindness, a quick wit, and the ability to make peace. It was the 7th design in the Lunar New Year series, which began with the Rooster in 1992, followed by the Dog, Boar, Rat, Ox, and Tiger.