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Staff member shows the sheep-themed gold bars in a shopping mall in Beijing, Nov 20, 2014. [Photo/IC]

China's love affair with gold

As the world's largest gold consumer, Chinese mainland consumed more than 1,000 tons of yellow metal in 2013, according to an earlier China Daily report, citing the data from World Gold Council.

China Gold Coin Incorporation, an enterprise that is directly under PBOC, China's central bank, has launched series of Chinese zodiac-themed gold bars since 2002.

This year, it released the sheep-themed gold bars on Nov 20 to welcome the New Year, said a Beijing Daily report on Nov 21. According to Chinese lunar calendar, the 2015 will be the Year of the Sheep.

Some people buy the zodiac-themed gold bars for investment, and others for gifts to the relatives who share the same zodiac sign.

The value of a complete set of 12 zodiac-themed gold bars is twice or three times higher than the value of the gold itself, Beijing Television reported on Nov 20.

It is the seventh consecutive year for me to buy the zodiac-themed gold bar, a customer told BTV on the same day.