What is on the money in China?

Mao has appeared on every denomination since the fifth series began in 1999; before that the notes carried groups of workers and figures from China's different ethnic groups. The reverse of each note is a landscape, which together form a tour of the country. The currency is called the renminbi — "the people's currency" — while the unit is the yuan, a distinction roughly like sterling and the pound.

Who and what is on each note

The unusual part

The name of the currency and the name of the unit are different words. Renminbi is the currency; the yuan is the unit you count in.

The practical facts

Currency

Renminbi — ISO code CNY, symbol ¥

Printed on

Paper

Survives a wash?

Not reliably. Paper notes disintegrate when soaked.

Can a blind person tell them apart?

Yes — the denominations differ in size, which is the simplest and most reliable tactile cue there is.

Highest note in issue

¥100 — Mao Zedong; the Great Hall of the People

This page describes the notes rather than showing them. Reproducing a banknote image is restricted in most jurisdictions, and the restrictions differ between them.