A girl from the Nantong Blueprint Cloth Museum showcases the sheep mascots in Jiangsu province, Jan 5, 2015. [Photo/IC]

As the Year of the Sheep draws near, the Blueprint Cloth Museum in Nantong in Jiangsu province has released a series of vivid sheep mascots made of blueprint cloth, also known as blue calico cloth. The mascots are designed by the museum's curator, Wu Yuanxin, and his team. Wu is also among the first batch of representative inheritors of national level intangible cultural heritage and head of the Blueprint Cloth Art Institute of Nantong University.

The cute sheep mascots symbolize auspiciousness and happiness, which attract many visitors. Nantong blue calico cloth was listed among the first batch of national level intangible cultural heritages in May of 2006, and Nantong has become a hometown and inheritance base for the traditional craft.