中国人民银行进一步规范人民币图像使用
China's central bank has issued a new policy, prohibiting the use of renminbi (RMB) images without permission, including on papers used as sacrificial offerings.
中国人民银行公布一项新政策，禁止未经许可使用人民币图像，其中包括纸钱。
The People's Bank of China (PBoC) has issued the revised rules on Monday ahead of the Qingming, or Tomb-Sweeping Festival.
It bans the random use of RMB patterns on sacrificial offerings, as well as daily perishable items, tickets and coupons.
The Qingming Festival sees people in China burn paper money in a way to honor their dead ancestors and loved ones.
Papers being offered up in recent years for burning at tombs have been produced to resemble real RMB notes, with similar sizes and images.
In issuing the new directive, the PBoC says the Chinese currency is a symbol of the country's economic sovereignty, the seriousness and authority of which must be upheld.
The new rules also say certification for the use of RMB images need to be approved by authorities, and can't be changed, sold, leased or lent to other people.