SHENYANG, Jan. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- China on Wednesday issued a set of dog stamps to mark the approach of the "Year of the Dog" which is one of the 12 symbolic animals representing a circle of 12 years.

    The coming Lunar New Year, the most important traditional festival for Chinese people, falls on Jan. 29.

    The stamp issuing ceremony was held in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. The stamps show 16 real living dogs, of which 12 reside in Liaoning Province and four others live in Beijing, said Xu He, director of the Shenyang pet business association, adding that all 16 dogs figure in the world-famous category.

    The dogs' images, names and a brief introduction appear on the stamps."It is the first time China has issued stamps with dogs' names; previously, only mammals had that honor," Xu said.

    The dog stamp set includes "Year of the Dog" postcards and stamps issued by China Post. A total of 1,000 such stamp sets are available at price of 110 yuan (13.75 U.S. dollars). Enditem