
NEW YORK, Feb. 12 -- A festive window exhibition marking the Chinese Year of the Sheep opened Thursday in New York's Empire State Building's Fifth Avenue lobby.
It is the sixth year for the city's landmark building to hold such an exhibition, which, according to the Chinese co-organizers, is meant to introduce the Chinese unique New Year culture to the American people and tourists from all over the world.
This year's theme for the window displays is "san yang kai tai (three sheep bring bliss)." The saying implies the revival of life when spring returns and expectation for a fortunate and prosperous year.
The three rams with the names of auspiciousness, kindness and beauty, are decorated with red firecrackers, red velvet tassels, and fiery red flowers bloom.
The designer of the exhibition said that the three rams symbolizing people's wish for a propitious, productive and affluent year, show Chinese people's New Year wishes for American people and best wishes for healthy relations between China and the United States.
The sheep is the eighth sign of the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The 2015 Year of the Sheep starts from Feb. 19, 2015 (the Lunar New Year / Spring Festival of China) and lasts to Feb. 7, 2016.
PLA soldiers operating vehicle-mounted guns in drill
Beauties dancing on the rings
Blind carpenter in E China's Jiangxi
Top 10 highest-paid sports teams in the world
In photos: China's WZ-10 armed helicopters
UFO spotted in several places in China
Certificates of land title of Qing Dynasty and Republic of China
Cute young Taoist priest in Beijing
New film brings Doraemon's life story to China in 3D
Obama is sowing discontent in S.China Sea
Rescuers work through night to reach cruise ship survivors
Driving through limbo
Facing down MERSDay|Week