Taipei, July 9 (CNA) Earlier this week, Taiwan's outlying Kinmen County welcomed a newly-installed mailbox, made in the shape of a Wind Lion God.
Statues of the local deity, believed to hold special powers that protect local inhabitants from devastating sand storms and monsoon winds, have long been one of the biggest tourist attractions as a symbol of the island.
Found outside a souvenir shop in Shanhou, a folk cultural village in Jinsha Township, the mailbox is part of the post office's efforts to showcase the distinctive culture of Kinmen.
The wind lion mailbox has attracted a lot of tourists who have flocked there to mail their post cards, said Wang Chien-sheng, operator of the souvenir shop.
People are also having their photos taken with it, he added.
Designed to look different from the standard Wind Lion God statue, the mailbox is a cute, cartoony version of the folk deity.
There are currently 56 different Wind Lion statues scattered across Jinshan, all of which bear the full brunt of the relentless northeast monsoon winds each winter.
According to the post office, it is working to install special mailboxes in cities and counties across Taiwan, each one highlighting the unique cultural features of the area.
