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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 2020)
Lunar New Year January 20, 2020 U.S. Postal Service begins new series of 12 Lunar New Year stamps A new Year of the Rat stamp is the first in a third series by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) celebrating the Lunar New Year. The stamp was dedicated this month during opening ceremonies of the Monterey Park Lunar New Year Festival, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the nation. With blue as the predominant color (said to be one of the lucky colors for individuals born during the Year of the Rat), the rat mask in the stamp design incorporates elements with symbolic meaning. Several of the patterns were created with the style of Asian textiles and the circle in the center of the Rat’s head represents the new moon on which the Lunar New Year begins. A pop of the very lucky color red ties the design in with other common celebratory decora- tions. New Year celebrations The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the year for many Asian communities. In the United States and elsewhere, the occasion is celebrated in various ways on New Year’s day and in the days that follow. Parties, special events, and parades featuring enormous and vibrantly painted papier-mâché dragons are common at festivities. The Lunar New Year is observed by people of Chinese, Korean, Viet- namese, Tibetan, Mongolian, and other heritages. Around the world and across varied cultures, there are many traditions to ring in a new year of good luck and prosperity. In communities across the United States, people shop for food and other supplies, hang decorations, and ceremoniously clean their homes and streets to welcome the year with a fresh start. Year of the Rat The Rat, also referred to as the Mouse in some cultural traditions, is the first of the zodiac animal signs associated with the lunar calendar. Those born during the Year of the Rat are often viewed as clever, self-aware, and highly social. The Year of the Rat begins January 25, 2020 and ends February 11, 2021. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the 2020 stamp with original artwork by Camille Chew. First series started in 1992 Late artist Clarence Lee, an American of Chinese descent who was born in Honolulu, designed the first series of Lunar New Year stamps, which began in 1992 with the 29-cent Year of the Rooster stamp. The stamp had a paper-cut two- dimensional look. The other 11 animals in the lunar zodiac followed, THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 13 Hiring Interpreters for Mandarin & Vietnamese in Portland call center Excellent proficiency in English and second language with strong listening and comprehension skills are required. Location : 12250 S.W. Garden Place, Tigard, OR 97223 We offer : Part or Full Time positions, paid orientation, and ongoing training To apply : Visit : www.languageline.com/careers Choose : “United States and the Americas” Find position : Mandarin Interpreter in Portland Center Vietnamese Interpreter in Portland Center Read the job description & click “Apply” OPEN UNTIL FILLED -- EEO/AA GRASS-FED BEEF FOR SALE one each year. Also on each stamp in the series were kanji characters stating the name of each stamp writ- ten by a professional calligrapher. After the original series ended, Asian community members urged USPS to continue the annual issuance of Lunar New Year stamps. Second series released in 2008 A second set of stamps, called the Celebrating Lunar New Year series, began in 2008. The stamps were designed by Kam Mak, an artist who grew up in New York City’s Chinatown, along with art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, Maryland. Instead of taking the obvious route of illustrating the animals each year, Mak chose to depict symbolic objects featured in Lunar New Year celebrations. They were: Year of the Rat (2008): Red lantern Year of the Ox (2009): Lion dance Year of the Tiger (2010): Narcissus flowers Year of the Rabbit (2011): Cumquats NEW DECADE, NEW SERIES. A new Year of the Rat stamp (top photo) is the first stamp in a third series by the U.S. Postal Service celebrating the Lunar New Year. The first stamp in the first series — the 29-cent Year of the Rooster (bottom photo) — was released in 1992. It was created by the late artist Clarence Lee, an American of Chinese descent who was born in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Year of the Dragon (2012): Dragon dance Year of the Snake (2013): Firecrackers Year of the Horse (2014): Drums Year of the Sheep (2015): New Year sweets Year of the Monkey (2016): Peony Year of the Rooster (2017): Red envelopes Year of the Dog (2018): Lucky bamboo Year of the Pig (2019): Peach blossoms Each stamp also featured small animal illustrations, in traditional paper-cutout style, by Lee, the artist who created the first stamp series in 1992. The 2020 Year of the Rat stamp is sold in panes of 20. A forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current first-class mail one-ounce price. To learn more, or to purchase the new Lunar New Year stamp, call 1-800-STAMP24 (1-800-782-6724) or visit <www.usps.com/stamps>. Call (503) 980-5900 for details GRASS-FED & GRASS-FINISHED BEEF Farm-raised in Newberg, Oregon Beef available as: q Quarter cow q Half cow q Whole cow Beef is processed by a Portland butcher. Pickup available in March at N.E. Sandy Blvd. location. The staff at The Asian Reporter wish you and your family a safe and happy Lunar New Year!
