On sale at a post office near you (assuming you live in China): porcine stamps to mark the upcoming Year of the Pig.

For the last 40 years, China Post has issued stamps themed around the zodiac animal corresponding to the year.

Two stamps have been issued. The “Pig Brings You Blessings” stamp (white background) symbolizes striving ever upwards in the months to come.

Whereas the “Five Blessings Gathering” stamp (orange background) encapsulates familial harmony, the cornerstone of Chinese New Year.

But some have read additional meaning into the rightmost stamp, because it contains three piglets – a far cry from most Chinese homes, which for years were governed by the one-child policy.

Given the relatively recent relaxation of birth restrictions (and China’s forecast of a declining population) some in China have predicted that the stamp points toward a further relaxation of population restrictions in the near future.

How it’s made

How it’s made: calligraphy brushes