Chinese Dragon Stamp Attracts Criticism

A new Chinese postage stamp with a fierce-looking dragon that went on sale on Thursday is drawing a lot of attention and discussion over its design.

Netizens posted comments on the Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo saying the image of the dragon is very inauspicious for the upcoming Lunar New Year, and that the design goes against traditional aesthetics.

One Weibo post says, “Its body and claws are awkwardly positioned...I can’t tell if the dragon is playing with the pearl or is trying to scare people. The design is really a mess.”

In defense, the designer, Chen Shaohua, said the fierce-looking dragon represents China’s growing confidence.

One netizen replied to his comment by stating, “...National strength is the thing that really matters, not the flashy image on the surface.”

Another netizen described the dragon stamp as having "a devil look," "making threatening gestures," "shamed into anger," "soaring gas prices" and "growing inflation."

A cartoon mocking the dragon stamp is spreading all over the Internet. It's said to be the unofficial version of the dragon year stamp.

It even became a joke among stamp collectors after someone compared the first dragon stamp that circulated in late Qing Dynasty with the new one. The two stamps are surprisingly similar. Netizens are joking that the most valuable stamp in China now has a Shanzhai version.