No cat images on 100-yuan notes, bank insists
By Li Qian |
February 9, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE People's Bank of China, the issuing bank of yuan, has denied allegations that its 100-yuan note contains cat images, saying the cloud pattern was copied from an ancient lacquer ware.
The issue gained currency after a claim on the Internet that three cats were printed near the head of Mao Zedong on the note, one with an open mouth and staring eyes, the other two bowing on their knees.
Many microbloggers expressed their appreciation toward the patterns after checking to see if the post was true.
"I always thought only Chairman Mao was printed on today's notes. Actually, our banknotes are so cartoonish and adorable," one microblogger said on Weibo.com.
The central bank said the pattern was copied from a lacquer ware dating from the Warring States Period (476-221 BC) and unearthed in central Hubei Province. "Someone imagined the patterns as three cats and drew the profile with a marker to mislead the public," it said.
The cloud pattern is in the background of the 100-yuan note but is not an anti-forgery feature, the bank said.
"The pattern shows perfect symmetry, typical of decorative designs during the Warring States Period. No cat images were ever found in artifacts from that period," antique expert Zhang Yang told the Beijing News.
"The (banknote) designer might have changed the original pattern and I couldn't tell what the patterns are now," Zhang said.
Early banknotes were printed with minority nationalities, aircraft and tractors to represent the union and modern development of China, said banknote expert Yuan Yinlong.
The ancient elements in today's fifth-generation 100-yuan notes reflect the wisdom and culture of the nation, Yuan was quoted as saying.
The issue gained currency after a claim on the Internet that three cats were printed near the head of Mao Zedong on the note, one with an open mouth and staring eyes, the other two bowing on their knees.
Many microbloggers expressed their appreciation toward the patterns after checking to see if the post was true.
"I always thought only Chairman Mao was printed on today's notes. Actually, our banknotes are so cartoonish and adorable," one microblogger said on Weibo.com.
The central bank said the pattern was copied from a lacquer ware dating from the Warring States Period (476-221 BC) and unearthed in central Hubei Province. "Someone imagined the patterns as three cats and drew the profile with a marker to mislead the public," it said.
The cloud pattern is in the background of the 100-yuan note but is not an anti-forgery feature, the bank said.
"The pattern shows perfect symmetry, typical of decorative designs during the Warring States Period. No cat images were ever found in artifacts from that period," antique expert Zhang Yang told the Beijing News.
"The (banknote) designer might have changed the original pattern and I couldn't tell what the patterns are now," Zhang said.
Early banknotes were printed with minority nationalities, aircraft and tractors to represent the union and modern development of China, said banknote expert Yuan Yinlong.
The ancient elements in today's fifth-generation 100-yuan notes reflect the wisdom and culture of the nation, Yuan was quoted as saying.
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