Kunming City’s Provisions on the Management of Words Used in Public Places

Article 1: In order to strengthen the management of word usage in public places, maintain the unity of national characters, and promote the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, these regulations are formulated in accordance with relevant national regulations and in conjunction with the actual situation of this city. Article 2 All units or individuals that use Chinese characters in public places within the administrative jurisdiction of this city must abide by these regulations. Article 3 The term “public places” as mentioned in these regulations refers to places where public activities take place, including schools, hospitals, streets, tourist areas, exhibition halls, theaters, sports venues, places for mass cultural activities, airports, stations, docks, Markets, factories, shops, etc.

The term "characters used in public places (including written characters)" as mentioned in these regulations refers to Chinese characters used in public places, including plaques, advertisements, windows, light boxes, neon lights, slogans, signs, Road nameplates, station nameplates, overpass nameplates, product names, trademark names, store names, film and television screens, publications, audio and video products, tickets, various promotional materials, etc. Article 4: The Kunming Municipal Language and Writing Work Committee Office is responsible for the management of words used in public places in the city. This office is under the leadership of the Kunming Municipal Language and Writing Working Committee and is under the management of the Municipal Education Commission.

Counties (cities) and districts should establish corresponding management agencies to be specifically responsible for the management of word usage in public places in their respective regions. Article 5 The characters used in public places must comply with the following standards:

(1) The simplified characters shall be based on the "General List of Simplified Characters" published with the approval of the State Council on October 10, 1986;

(2) The traditional Chinese characters among the variant characters are based on the "First Batch of Variant Character Collection List" published by the Ministry of Culture and the Chinese Character Reform Commission in 1955;

(3) The printing characters are based on the "Modern Chinese Common Character List" jointly issued by the National Language Working Committee and the Press and Publication Administration in 1988. Article 6 The following Chinese characters shall not be used in public places:

(1) Traditional Chinese characters that have been simplified;

(2) Variants and old Chinese characters that have been eliminated characters;

(3) Simplified characters in the abolished "Second Chinese Character Simplification Plan (Draft)";

(4) Typos and self-made simplified characters. Article 7 Under any of the following circumstances, words that do not meet the standards may be used:

(1) The words used on plaques of time-honored brands that were written before the founding of the People’s Republic of China and are still in use today;

(2) Original characters in cultural relics and monuments (including couplets on antique buildings);

(3) Registered trademark stereotypes. Article 8 Anyone who uses irregular words in public places in violation of these regulations shall be ordered by the Kunming Municipal Language and Writing Working Committee Office to make corrections within a time limit; if corrections are not made within the time limit, a penalty of 100 yuan per word per day will be imposed. Fine until corrected. Article 9 If foreign or overseas units or individuals entrust advertising designers and producers in this city to produce various types of advertising signboards using non-standard words, the producer shall be the responsible unit or person responsible for the use of non-standard words. Article 10: The Municipal Education Commission is responsible for interpretation of specific issues in the implementation of these regulations. Article 11 These regulations shall come into effect on the date of promulgation.