Stamp collectors in Shanghai waited in long lines outside post offices early in the morning as China Post on Thursday released a set of two special stamps to celebrate the upcoming Chinese zodiac Year of the Rabbit.

This year's stamps were designed by renowned Chinese artist Huang Yongyu. One of the stamps depicts a personified blue rabbit holding a pen in its right hand and a letter in its left hand, symbolizing the drawing of a blueprint for the new year, as "blue rabbit" is pronounced similarly to "blueprint" in Chinese.

The other stamp features three rabbits running in a circle, an auspicious implication for the "circle of life" as well as family reunion and happiness. The background behind the three rabbits bears decorative patterns showcasing the legendary story of "a jade rabbit ramming herbal medicines", which conveys the sincere wishes for prosperity of the country and for the well-being of the people.

In Shanghai's Songjiang District, many residents spent a chilly night outside a local post office in the hopes of bringing the latest collectables back home.

Yan Yijiang, a local resident of Songjiang, expressed his excitement as the first one in the queue to buy the special stamps at the post office at 6:30 on the day.

"I'm glad that I'm the first one to get those stamps. I have bought zodiac stamps every year and have made such purchases several times. I also bought stamps designed by Huang Yongyu before," said Yan.

Post staff have also presented a wealth of stamp products on offer for people queuing up for the New Year's zodiac stamps.

"Zodiac stamps have been issued every year, which are a good collection for us stamp collectors. The stamp design for the Year of the Rabbit is pretty good, and we as stamp collectors are quite excited about it," said Fang Jianyue, another stamp collector.

China will celebrate Lunar New Year, or the traditional Spring Festival, on Jan. 22, to usher in the Year of the Rabbit.

The country has released zodiac stamps annually since 1980, a Year of the Monkey.

The Chinese zodiac cycle contains 12 animals that record years and reflect people's attributes: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, and the pig.