NEW YORK - 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.