Renminbi · ¥/元 · Official currency of China
The Chinese yuan (renminbi, ¥/元) has been issued by the People's Bank of China since its founding in 1948. The currently circulating notes are the 5th series, rolled out gradually starting in 1999, all featuring a common portrait of Mao Zedong on the front.
Six denominations circulate: ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50, and ¥100, with the ¥100 note upgraded with stronger security features in 2015. As mobile payment apps (Alipay, WeChat Pay) have become ubiquitous, cash usage has been steadily declining.
Mobile payment apps like Alipay and WeChat Pay are overwhelmingly dominant in China, so foreign visitors without a local bank account or a linked travel payment app often end up relying mainly on cash. Small vendors and rural areas may still be cash-only, so it's worth keeping small bills on hand. Checking for counterfeits (holding a note up to the light to check the watermark) is common enough that you'll see counterfeit-detection routines at many shop counters.
You can view real banknote designs by denomination on the Numista catalog; the app's China detail screen also links out by denomination.
See Chinese Yuan banknotes at today's exchange rate →