Twelve ball shaped statues featuring the Chinese zodiac signs debut in Shanghai, catching citizens’ attention lately. /VCG Photo

These colorful sculptures bring the Chinese 12 animal signs into real figures with cartoon-like appearances, by combining various animal heads with round bodies. /VCG Photo

Designed by artists group named UAP Studio, these statues have been presented for days, but still make passengers stop on their way to take a closer look. /VCG Photo

Chinese animal zodiac, or shengxiao, is a repeated circulation of 12 animals -- rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Every Chinese year can be represented by an animal figure and people born in that year are considered of having similar characteristics as their animal sign. /VCG Photo