---
title: "What is on China's banknotes?"
description: "The Renminbi: who is on each denomination, what was withdrawn and why, what the notes are printed on, and whether the sizes differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/banknote/china/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What is on the money in China?

**The money in China: Renminbi (CNY, ¥)**

6 denominations in issue · Paper

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

| Note | Who or what is on it |
| --- | --- |
| ¥1 | Mao Zedong; West Lake, Hangzhou |
| ¥5 | Mao Zedong; Mount Tai |
| ¥10 | Mao Zedong; the Three Gorges |
| ¥20 | Mao Zedong; the Li River at Guilin |
| ¥50 | Mao Zedong; the Potala Palace |
| ¥100 | Mao Zedong; the Great Hall of the People |

## 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.

## Common questions

### Who is on the money in China?

¥1: Mao Zedong; West Lake, Hangzhou. ¥5: Mao Zedong; Mount Tai. ¥10: Mao Zedong; the Three Gorges. ¥20: Mao Zedong; the Li River at Guilin. ¥50: Mao Zedong; the Potala Palace. ¥100: Mao Zedong; the Great Hall of the People.

### Are China's banknotes polymer or paper?

Paper.

## Related pages

- [China](https://atoneplace.net/country/china/)
- [The flag of China](https://atoneplace.net/flag/china/)
- [The money in United States](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-states/)
- [The money in Eurozone](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/eurozone/)
- [The money in United Kingdom](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-kingdom/)
- [The money in India](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/india/)
- [The money in Japan](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/japan/)
- [The money in Zimbabwe](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/zimbabwe/)
- [The money in Australia](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/australia/)
- [The money in Canada](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/canada/)
- [The money in Switzerland](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/switzerland/)
- [The money in South Africa](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/south-africa/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)