Contemporary Banknotes of China (Part 1)

Banknotes have been in circulation throughout the land of China for the most number of years compared to any other nation or country existing on the surface of this planet. In fact, way before America or any European nation started realizing the wonders of banknotes as a form of currency, the Chinese have already been happily selling and buying with this form of valuable paper. The first form of paper money ever used in the history of mankind and creation comes from the Song Dynasty (宋朝, sòng cháo) of China, which lasted from 960 to 1279 AD.

Indeed, since the Song Dynasty, Chinese paper money has undergone changes and evolutions by leaps and bounds as a result of the pressure of time. Currently, the official currency of the People’s Republic of China is the renminbi (人民币, rénmínbì), of which the People’s Bank of China (中国人民银行, zhōngguó rénmín yínháng) is the sole authorized issuer of the said currency.

The People's Bank of China (中国人民银行)

The primary unit of the Chinese renminbi is the yuan (元 / 圆, yuán), in which one yuan is subdivided into 10 jiao (角, jiăo). One jiao is further subdivided into 10 fen (分, fēn). The symbol ¥ is frequently used to denote the renminbi, whereby ¥1 is one yuan.

As and when this article was written, there are five series of the renminbi that has been produced in China since the introduction of the currency in 1948. However, only the fourth and fifth series are currently legal tender in China. The fourth series was introduced from 1987 to 1997, whereas the fifth series was introduced since 1999.

In this two-part article, I will only be showing you the banknotes of the renminbi which are currently legal tender, together with brief descriptions about the pictures and inscriptions that you will see on these banknotes. The first part of this article will be based on the fourth series of the renminbi banknotes which were introduced from 1987 to 1997.

First and foremost, as you will notice, all banknotes of China have the phrase “People’s Bank of China” (Zhongguo Renmin Yinhang) inscribed in five languages, namely Mandarin Chinese, Mongol, Tibetan, Uighur and Zhuang. Mandarin Chinese, being the official language of China, is expectedly inscribed on the Chinese banknotes, but what about the other four languages? Despite the fact that China consists predominantly of the Han Chinese (汉族, hànzú), it also comprises of several minority ethnic groups, of which the Mongols (蒙古族, ménggŭzú), Tibetans (藏族, zàngzú), Uighurs (维吾尔族, wéiwú’ĕr zú) and Zhuang people (壮族, zhuàngzú) form sizeable numbers in the country.

Circled in red is Mandarin Chinese (MC), circled in white is Romanized Mandarin Chinese (RMC), boxed in white are inscriptions in minority languages

Inscriptions of minority languages on Chinese banknotes, namely in (from top to bottom) Mongol, Tibetan, Uighur and Zhuang

Now, let me give you a walkthrough of the fourth series of the renminbi banknotes, which are still legal tender at present.

This is the 1 jiao banknote, which is also equivalent to ¥0.10. The obverse (front) side of the note depicts two men from two minority groups respectively. The man on the left is a Taiwanese aborigine (台湾原住民, táiwān yuánzhù mín), whereas the man on the right is a Manchu (满族, mănzú).

The Taiwanese aborigines are thought to be the original inhabitants of the island of Taiwan, in which they have been living there for thousands of years before the major immigration of Han Chinese people into the island began in the 17th century. Most present-day Taiwanese aborigines profess either Catholic or Protestant Christianity. The Manchu people are mainly found in the region of Manchuria in northeastern China, which covers the provinces of Heilongjiang (黑龙江, hēilóngjiāng), Jilin (吉林, jílín) and Liaoning (辽宁, liáoníng).

The reverse (back) side of the note depicts the National Emblem of China.

This is the 2 jiao banknote, equivalent to ¥0.20. The obverse side shows two ladies from another two minority groups respectively. The lady on the left is from the Buyi ethnic group (布依族, bùyīzú), whereas the lady on the right is a Korean (朝鲜族, cháoxiānzú).

The Buyi people of China belong to a Chinese minority ethnic group found chiefly in the southern region of China, namely in the provinces of Guizhou (贵州, gùizhōu), Yunnan (云南, yúnnán) and Sichuan (四川, sìchuān). The Koreans in China, on the other hand, are found primarily in northeastern China, namely in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning as well. Of course, I don’t think I’d need to tell you that the Koreans in China are descended from migrants who have migrated into China from Korea throughout history. Hence, they would naturally be found chiefly in the northeastern region of China, which is the closest to Korea.

The reverse side of the banknote also depicts the National Emblem of China.

This is the 5 jiao banknote, its value corresponding to ¥0.50. The obverse side portrays a Miao girl on the left and a Zhuang girl on the right.

The Miao minority group (苗族, miáo zú) is found mainly in southern China, namely in the provinces of Guizhou, Hunan (湖南, húnán), Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi (广西, guăngxī).

The Zhuang people, on the other hand, form the largest minority group in China, second in numbers only to the majority Han Chinese. They are predominantly found in Guangxi, which is an autonomous region. Their numbers are so large compared to most of the other minorities that the Chinese central government can afford to upgrade their main home-province to the status of an autonomous region, in which Guangxi is officially known as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (广西壮族自治区, guăngxī zhuàngzú zìzhìqū). An autonomous region functions somewhat like a province, in which each has its own local government. The only difference is that the local government of an autonomous region has more legislative and executive powers compared to that of an ordinary province.

Once again, the reverse side of the banknote has the National Emblem on it.



This is the 1 yuan banknote, also denoted as ¥1. The obverse side illustrates a female member of the Yao minority on the left and a female member of the Dong minority on the right.

The Yao minority group (瑶族, yáozú) is largely found in the mountainous terrain of southwestern and southern China, particularly in the provinces of Yunnan, Hunan, Guangxi and Guangdong (广东, guăngdōng). The Dong people (侗族, dòngzú) form another minority group in China, dwelling predominantly in the provinces of Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi. They are more well-known for their unique skills in carpentry and architecture.

This time, the reverse side of the banknote no longer has the Chinese National Emblem on it, but rather the Great Wall of China (万里长城, wànlĭ chángchéng). The construction of this majestic landmark of the Middle Kingdom commenced during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇, qín shĭhuáng) (sometimes known as Shi Huangdi) of the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of a unified China, reigning from 221 BC – 210 BC. Initially constructed for defense against the Qin enemies from the north, subsequent dynasties after the Qin also utilized the Great Wall for the same purpose, in which they repaired, extended or reconstructed portions of the Great Wall to further enhance its function.



This is the 2 yuan banknote, also indicated as ¥2. The obverse side portrays a female member of the Yi minority and a Uighur girl on the left and right respectively.

The Yi people (彝族, yízú) of China form a minority group which is mainly found in the mountainous terrain of southwestern and southern China, namely in the provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi.

The Uighur people of China are mainly distributed in the autonomous region of Xinjiang (新疆, xīnjiāng) in northwestern China. They are easily distinguishable from most of the other ethnic groups in China due to their Turkic descent and Muslim identity. Being one of the largest ethnic groups and an ethnic group of distinguishable difference, Xinjiang is also declared an autonomous region by the Chinese central government, in which its official name is Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (新疆维吾尔自治区, xīnjiāng wéiwú’ĕr zìzhìqū).

The reverse side of the banknote depicts the Pillar of Southern Heaven (南天一柱, nántiān yīzhù), which is a large boulder situated in Tianya Haijiao (天涯海角, tiānyá hăijiăo) in the island province of Hainan (海南, hăinán). In Chinese mythology, this large boulder is believed to be a remnant of two angels of the Goddess of Heaven who were smashed by the infuriated God of Thunder. Tianya Haijiao, which literally means “the edges of the heavens and the corners of the sea”, is alluded to in many works of Chinese literature as a beautiful and romantic place, in which this spot is a must for many Chinese newlyweds to spend part of their honeymoon in.


This is the 5 yuan, or ¥5 banknote. The obverse side illustrates a Hui Chinese man on the left and a Tibetan woman on the right.

The Hui Chinese (回族, huízú) are similar in many ways to the Han Chinese in terms of culture, yet the two ethnic groups are also easily distinguishable from one another. Found mainly in northwestern China, particularly in the provinces (or autonomous regions) of Xinjiang, Gansu (甘肃, gānsù), Qinghai (青海, qīnghăi) and Ningxia (宁夏, níngxià), the Hui Chinese practice the religion of Islam. As such, though they look like, speak like and live like the Han Chinese in many ways, some aspects of their culture are still different, such as the wearing of headscarves for women and white caps for men, as well as the non-consumption of pork in line with Islamic teachings. As a result of these religious differences, the Chinese central government has also allocated Ningxia as an autonomous region, officially known as Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (宁夏回族自治区, níngxià huízú zìzhìqū).

The Tibetans, on the other hand, mostly live in the mountainous autonomous region of Tibet (西藏, xīzàng). They practice Tibetan Buddhism and are well-adapted to living in high altitudes due to the region itself being situated in an area of mountainous terrain, spanning over the Himalayas. As Tibet comprises mainly of native Tibetans and not Han Chinese, the Chinese central government has also assigned Tibet to be an autonomous region, bearing the official name of Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区, xīzàng zìzhìqū).

The reverse side illustrates the Wu Gorge (巫峡, wūxiá) of the Yangtze River (扬子江, yángzǐ jiāng), which is also known as the Chang Jiang (长江, chángjiāng). The Wu Gorge is one of the renowned Three Gorges (三峡, sānxiá) of China. The Three Gorges boast one of China’s finest and most exquisite natural sceneries, besides being historically and culturally valuable to the Chinese. This picturesque natural tourist attraction runs for approximately 120 km along the Yangtze River in the province of Hubei (湖北, húbĕi). The Wu Gorge, which is the second gorge of the Three Gorges, runs for 45 km along the river and is the most serene among the three.

This is the 10 yuan, or ¥10 banknote. With reference to the obverse side, one can see an elderly Han Chinese man on the left and a young Mongolian on the right.

Well, I don’t think I need to elaborate further on the Han Chinese, which is the dominant ethnic group in modern-day China and the backbone of the ancient Chinese societies. Most of the time, when one refers to a typical Chinese, one is actually referring to a member of the Han Chinese ethnic group. The Mongolians, or Mongols, as the name suggests, are natives of Mongolia, but large numbers of them also dwell in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区, nèi mĕnggŭ zìzhìqū), which is an autonomous region within Chinese territory.

The reverse side displays a picture of Mount Everest, also known as Mount Qomolangma in Tibetan or Mount Shengmu (圣母峰, shèngmŭ fēng) in Mandarin Chinese. As most of you may already know, Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth, measuring about 8848 metres above sea level. It is part of the Himalaya mountain range and stands at the border between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The names “Qomolangma” and “Shengmu” refer to Holy Mother in Tibetan and Mandarin Chinese respectively.

This is the 50 yuan, or ¥50 banknote. Its obverse side displays, from left to right, an intellectual, a farm girl and an industrial male worker.

The reverse side portrays the Hukou Waterfall (壶口瀑布, hŭkŏu pùbù), which is the largest waterfall of the Yellow River or Huanghe (黄河, huánghé). It is located at the border between the provinces of Shanxi (山西, shānxī) and Shaanxi (陕西, shănxī). In Mandarin Chinese, the name of Hukou Waterfall actually means “flask mouth waterfall” due to the shape of the Yellow River at this part resembling that of a water flask.

Finally, this is the 100 yuan, or ¥100 banknote. The obverse side depicts four prominent leaders of modern China. From the left to right, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong are depicted.

Mao Zedong (毛泽东, máo zédōng) is undoubtedly one of the most influential and controversial figure in modern Chinese history, being the first Chairman of the Communist Party of China, the first President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the leader of the PRC from its establishment in 1949 up to his death in 1976. Zhou Enlai (周恩来, zhōu ēnlái) was the first Premier of the PRC from 1949 up to his death in 1976. Liu Shaoqi (刘少奇, liú shàoqí) was the second President of the PRC from 1959 to 1968, whereas Zhu De (朱德, zhū dé) was the first Vice President of the PRC from 1954 to 1959, as well as an outstanding military commander in the Communist armed forces.

The reverse side shows a picture of the Jinggang Mountains (井冈山, jĭnggāng shān), which are located in the border between the provinces of Jiangxi (江西, jiāngxī) and Hunan. Literally meaning “well ridge mountains” in Mandarin Chinese, the Jinggang Mountains is famed for being the cradle of Chinese revolution. This is so due to the fact that the Jinggang Mountains was the place where the Chinese Red Army (红军, hóngjūn) was effectively founded in 1927 by Mao Zedong and Zhu De. In subsequent years, the Chinese Red Army eventually became the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (中国人民解放军, zhōngguó rénmín jiĕfàng jūn), which is currently the official military organization of the PRC. Besides bearing historical value, the Jinggang Mountains is also the home to an extensive variety of flora and fauna, some of which are rarely found and are near extinction.

This concludes the fourth series of the renminbi banknotes which are currently still legal tender in China. In the next part of this article, I will be covering on the fifth series of the renminbi banknotes.

Contemporary Banknotes of China (Part 2)

In the last part of this article, I have given you a walkthrough on the fourth series of the renminbi banknotes, which are currently still used in China. In this section, I will thus be giving you another walkthrough, this time on the fifth series of the renminbi banknotes.

Up to the time when this article was written, the fifth series of the renminbi is the latest series of the Chinese currency being used in China. Introduction of the fifth series commenced in 1999 and has been ongoing up to the present time. It is currently the dominant and most common series being used by the people of China, although the fourth series is still considered legal tender.

As I’ve mentioned in the earlier part of this article, all banknotes of China have the phrase “People’s Bank of China” (Zhongguo Renmin Yinhang) inscribed on them in Mandarin Chinese, Romanized Mandarin Chinese, Mongol, Tibetan, Uighur and Zhuang. This, of course, does not exclude the fifth series of the renminbi banknotes.

This is the 1 yuan, or ¥1 banknote. On the obverse side, one can see the face of the renowned leader of the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong (1893 – 1976), who was also the first President of the People’s Republic of China. An orchid motif is also visible at the centre of the banknote.

Mao Zedong, also known as Chairman Mao (毛主席, máo zhŭxí), is highly regarded by many Chinese as one of the greatest national hero and leader in modern Chinese history. Many Chinese, especially members of the ruling Communist Party of China, revere Chairman Mao as a talented military strategist, political mastermind and farsighted revolutionary capable of bringing tremendous progress to the Chinese society as a whole. Nevertheless, he is also one of the world’s most controversial leaders, in which critics assert that his application of Marxist communist theories in his reign had caused immense suffering and even a high death toll amongst the people of China, making him comparable to a dictator.

On the reverse side, one can see an image of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon at West Lake (西湖, xīhú) in the city of Hangzhou (杭州, hángzhōu), Zhejiang Province (浙江省, zhèjiāng shĕng). West Lake is famed not only for its scenic landscape, but also for its great cultural and historical values due to the existence of numerous ancient landmarks and engraved tablets in the vicinity.

Amongst them is the well-known Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月, sān tán yìn yuè). These “three pools” actually refer to three gourd-shaped stupas which appear to be floating on the surface of the lake. Beautiful as its name sounds, the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon does produce a magical fairy-tale-like effect when night time sets in. When candles are lit in the stupas, the candlelight reflects on the lake’s surface, creating moon-like images which contrast perfectly with the bright moon in the sky. This amazing scenery is especially more enchanting on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon is assumed to be at its roundest and brightest.

A beautiful view of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon contrasting the bright round moon in the sky

This is the 5 yuan, or ¥5 banknote. The obverse side portrays an image of Mao Zedong similar to that on the 1 yuan banknote. At the centre of the banknote, a motif of a narcissus flower is also portrayed.

The reverse side displays an image of Mount Tai (泰山, tàishān), which stands majestically at the north of Tai’an city (泰安, tài ān) in Shandong Province (山东省, shāndōng shĕng). Mount Tai is said to be the most sacred and revered of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism. On the summit of the mountain, one can see, inscribed on a large rock, the Chinese characters proclaiming that the mountain is the most respected of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism (五岳独尊, wŭyuè dúzūn). In imperial times, Mount Tai has been the principal site for ancient Chinese worship and pilgrimage, whereby numerous emperors from various dynasties frequently made visits there to offer sacrifices and to pay homage to Heaven and Earth. In fact, Mount Tai has also been an ultimate source of inspiration for many Chinese scholars, artists and poets in imperial times, including Confucius (孔夫子, kŏng fūzĭ) and the well-known Chinese poet Du Fu (杜甫, dùfŭ).

Inscription on a large rock proclaiming in Mandarin Chinese that Mount Tai is the most respected of the Five Sacred Mountains

This is the 10 yuan, or ¥10 banknote. Once again, the obverse side shows an image of Mao Zedong. Besides his image, there is also a rose flower motif at the centre of the banknote.

On the other hand, the reverse side shows a picture of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, which is also known as Chang Jiang. The name “Chang Jiang” literally means “the long river” in Mandarin Chinese. Since I’ve written a description on the Three Gorges in the preceding part of this article, do I have to describe it once again? Anyway, I’ll just add in a little bit of information which I did not mention in the preceding part of this article.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Three Gorges is the home to one of the most splendid and picturesque natural sceneries found in the entire land of China. Running along the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) for 120 km in Hubei Province, the Three Gorges comprises of, well, three gorges, namely the Qutang Gorge (瞿塘峡, qùtáng xiá), Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge (西陵峡, xīlíng xiá). Each of these three gorges runs for a distance of 8 km, 45 km and 66 km respectively. They differ from each other, with the Qutang Gorge described as straight and rocky, the Wu Gorge tranquil and serene, and the Xiling Gorge perilous due to its rapid currents and dangerous shoals.

This is the 20 yuan, or ¥20 banknote. Needless to mention, Mao Zedong is displayed on the obverse side of the banknote, alongside the motif of a lotus flower at the centre.

The picture on the reverse side of the banknote is that of a fisherman on a bamboo raft drifting slowly down the Li River (漓江, líjiāng), with the magnificent scenery of the Guilin mountains decorating the background of the image. Guilin (桂林, guìlín), which literally means “the forest of sweet osmanthus”, is a city in Guangxi Autonomous Region which promises yet another spectacular panorama to all its visitors.

As one floats along the Li River in a boat, one can admire the crystal-clear waters and lush bamboo plants marvelously adorning a picturesque backdrop of unique verdant hills and mountains. It is undoubtedly true to state that the panoramic view of the Li River in Guilin, as portrayed in the 20 yuan banknote, perfectly reflects China’s best natural landscapes. One source actually likens the Li River to a winding green silk ribbon, with the lush hills as jade hairpins beautifully ornamenting it. In fact, former US President Bill Clinton once stated that “no place in China is more evocative of the beauty of your country than Guilin.”

A breathtaking panoramic view of the Li River in Guilin

This is the 50 yuan banknote, equivalent in value to ¥50. As all of you would expect once again, Mao Zedong appears on the obverse side of the banknote, in addition to a chrysanthemum flower motif at the centre.

The image on the reverse side of the banknote is that of the Potala Palace in Lhasa (拉萨, lāsà), Tibet Autonomous Region. The Potala Palace (布达拉宫, bùdálā gōng) was initially constructed in the year 637 by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in order to welcome his bride, Princess Wencheng (文成公主, wénchéng gōngzhŭ) of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. The palace gained its name of “Potala” later in the 11th century, whereby this name was derived from Mount Potala in southern India, which was believed to be the sacred residence of the Buddhist bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. (A bodhisattva, in Buddhism, is a person who has great compassion and consequently wishes to attain perfect enlightenment for the benefit of all living things.)

While the original Potala Palace was smaller compared to the present-day palace and was at one point destroyed in a war, the palace was later reconstructed and restored in 1645 by the fifth Dalai Lama, Lozang Gyatso. Subsequently, the Potala Palace became the official residence of the Dalai Lamas, as well as the seat of the Tibetan government, until the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, fled to India following a failed uprising against Chinese invasion into Tibet. Since then, the Chinese central government has converted the Potala Palace into a museum for tourism purposes.

Lastly, this is the 100 yuan banknote, corresponding to a value of ¥100. Once again, needless to say, the image of Mao Zedong appears on the obverse side of the banknote. Besides Mao Zedong, a design of the plum blossom flower (梅子, méizi) is observable at the centre of the obverse side.

Looking at the reverse side now, we can see a picture of the Great Hall of the People, located at the western side of Tiananmen Square (天安门广场, tiān’ānmén guăngchăng) in the Chinese capital of Beijing (北京, bĕijīng). The Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂, rénmín dàhuìtáng), which was built in 1959, houses the parliament of China and serves as the legislative centre for the entire nation. It is the home to the National People’s Congress of China (全国人民代表大会, quánguó rénmín dàibiăo dàhuì), which is the sole legislative house of the People’s Republic of China.

Numerous national conventions, political conferences, international events and diplomatic activities are held annually in the Great Hall. The Great Hall is also one of the official venues for Chinese leaders to meet and discuss issues with foreign leaders and dignitaries. However, the Hall is open to the general public and tourists only when there are no ongoing conferences or international activities being held there.

The grand and majestic Great Hall of the People is principally divided into three sections, namely the auditorium, the banquet hall and the offices of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The Great Auditorium is capable of seating 10,000 representatives simultaneously, thus enabling extremely large conferences to be held there. The State Banquet Hall is capable of accommodating 5,000 dining guests at any one time. Smaller gatherings and conferences, on the other hand, are held in the Main Auditorium or in one of the smaller conference halls that are named and decorated after the various provinces and regions in China.

The Great Auditorium of the Great Hall of the People, having a seating capacity of 10,000 people at any one time

Indeed, the best of China’s tourist attractions have been well-captured on the nation’s colourful banknotes. So, the next time you want to decide on a nice place to spend your holiday in China but do not know where to go to, just go to your nearest local money changer, exchange for some Chinese renminbi banknotes, turn to the reverse side of those banknotes (and do a little online research if you need to), book your tickets, pack your bags, board the plane and off you go to the glorious land of the Middle Kingdom!!! Happy holidays in advance!!!

Contemporary Banknotes of India

Since the beginning of mankind, trading has been one of the most vital daily activities for man in order to sustain an individual’s survival. As no individual person is able to produce everything that he or she requires or desires, trading has become indispensable in overcoming this individual limitation. What one person possesses in excess may be what another person requires very badly. So, trading occurs to enable the first person to get rid of his excess stuff and to allow the second person to fulfill his necessities.

However, how is it possible to accurately determine the value of a particular stuff? How many eggs are equivalent in value to a goat? Here’s where currencies come into play in helping to determine the value of any object more accurately. Throughout history, currencies have existed in many different forms, ranging from simple objects such as sea shells, barley and salt to more valuable pieces of coins made from gold, silver, copper and other precious metals. However, in our modern society, currencies exist principally in two distinct forms, namely coins and banknotes.

Alright, enough of the trivial information about money’s history! Let us now focus on the main topic of this article, that is the banknotes currently utilized in the land of cultural wonders – India.

The official currency of India is known as the rupee, commonly represented as Rs. The word ‘rupee’ originated from the Sanskrit word ‘rupyah’, which means ‘wrought silver.’ Consequently, the Sanskrit word ‘rupyakam’ was derived, which means ‘coin of silver.’ During the reign of Emperor Sher Shah Suri in North India from 1540 to 1545, the term ‘rupiya’ was coined and used to refer to the silver coins utilized during that era. These silver coins were continually used in the following centuries, even during the time when the British colonized and administrated India. As time passed since the initial usage of the term ‘rupiya’, this word eventually came to be known as ‘rupee’, which was then used to generally refer to the currency used throughout the land of India.

Despite the fact that the Indian currency is officially and most commonly known as ‘rupee’, it also has various names in different regions of India, where different Indian languages are spoken. For example, the rupee is known as ‘rupaya’ in Hindi, ‘roopayi’ in Telugu and Kannada, ‘rubai’ in Tamil, ‘roopa’ in Malayalam, ‘taka’ in Bengali, ‘toka’ in Assamese and ‘tongka’ in Oriya.

One rupee is subdivided into a hundred paise (singular: paisa). The sole authorized issuer of the Indian rupee is the Reserve Bank of India, of which its headquarters is situated in the Indian financial city of Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra

As and when this article was written, there have been four consecutive series of rupee banknotes produced by the Reserve Bank of India since India attained independence from the British in 1947. The latest series, which is also the fourth series of the rupee banknotes, is currently legal tender in all states throughout India. Introduced since 1996, the fourth series is also known as the Mahatma Gandhi series due to the fact that all the banknotes of this series have the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi portrayed on the obverse (front) side.

In this article, I will be giving you a walkthrough on the fourth series of the Indian rupee banknotes, which is also known as the Mahatma Gandhi series and is currently legal tender throughout India. Together with each banknote, I will be providing some brief information on the inscriptions and images that are portrayed on the banknotes.

Before I proceed further into the banknotes, let me first point out to you some essential information pertaining to the inscriptions found on the rupee banknotes.

Look at the obverse side of the banknote above. As you can see, the phrase ‘Reserve Bank of India’ is inscribed in both English and Hindi, which are the two official languages of India. Boxed in blue and labeled ‘EN’ is the phrase ‘Reserve Bank of India’ in English, whereas boxed in yellow and labeled ‘HI’ is the same phrase written in Hindi (भारतीय रिज़र्व बैंक, bhaaratiiy rijrv baink). Circled in red and labeled ‘HI’ is the amount of the banknote inscribed in Hindi, which in this case is ‘five rupees’ (पांच रूपया, paanch roopayaa).



Observe the reverse (back) side of this rupee banknote now. The portion of the banknote which is boxed in white is enlarged as shown above. On the reverse side, the amount of the banknote is inscribed in 15 other Indian languages. Hence, in this case, the phrase ‘ten rupees’ is inscribed in 15 languages on the reverse side. From top to bottom, the languages inscribed are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. In addition to that, the banknote’s amount is written in English at the bottom right corner of the banknote.

Therefore, on every banknote of the Mahatma Gandhi series, the value of the banknote is denoted in Hindi on the obverse side, while on the reverse side, it is denoted in the 15 other Indian languages which I’ve mentioned just now, in addition to English. This reflects the lingual diversity found throughout India.

This is the 5 rupees, or Rs. 5 banknote. On the obverse side, one can see the portrait of the revered and renowned independence leader of India, Mahatma Gandhi. At the bottom left corner of the banknote, one can see the National Emblem of India, which is adapted from the Lion Capital of Asoka.

A familiar face and household name to many, Mahatma Gandhi is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest and most revered leaders. His real name is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, while the honorific title ‘Mahatma’, which means ‘The Great Soul’, was given to him by a famous Indian laureate. Mahatma Gandhi is famed for his principle of satyagraha (opposition against tyranny through mass civil disobedience and non-violence) in fighting for India’s independence from the British. Being the eminent leader of the Indian National Congress and a modest village peasant at the same time, Mahatma Gandhi endeavoured to bridge religious gaps between the different religions existing in India, eliminate poverty, eradicate the discriminative caste system and promote women’s rights. His efforts based on satyagraha culminated with India achieving independence from the British in 1947.

The National Emblem of India is adapted from the Lion Capital of Asoka. The Lion Capital of Asoka is a unique stone sculpture of four Indian lions standing back to back, with all their backs facing the centre of the sculpture and the faces of the lions facing four separate directions. It was once placed on the Asoka Pillar at Sarnath in the state of Uttar Pradesh but it has now been moved to the Sarnath Museum. The Lion Capital of Asoka, as the name suggests, was sculpted and erected under the rule of King Asoka the Great who ruled almost all of present-day India from 273 BC to 232 BC. King Asoka, a great Buddhist emperor of India from the Maurya Dynasty, is frequently recognized not only as one of India’s greatest emperors, but also as one of the world’s most prominent rulers.

Below the Lion Capital of Asoka on the National Emblem, the inscription “Satyameva Jayate” (सत्यमेव जयते) is written. “Satyameva Jayate”, which is the national motto of India, literally means “Truth Alone Triumphs” in Sanskrit.

The reverse side of the Rs. 5 banknote depicts the image of a farmer operating a tractor on a farm, with the sun at its background.

National Emblem of India, adapted from the Lion Capital of Asoka

This is the 10 rupees, or Rs. 10 banknote. The obverse side displays the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi and the National Emblem of India as well.

The reverse side displays the pictures of a rhinoceros, a tiger and an elephant. The Indian rhinoceros, which is also known as the great one-horned rhinoceros, is primarily found in the northeastern region of India and Nepal, particularly at the foothills of the Himalayas. Scientifically known as Rhinoceros unicornis, this species of rhinoceros is at the brink of extinction due to excessive and unscrupulous poaching.

Amongst all species of tigers, the species most commonly found in India and Bangladesh is the Bengal tiger. Alongside the Asiatic lion and the Indian leopard, the Bengal tiger is one of the three major ‘big cats’ found in the land of India. Scientifically known as Panthera tigris tigris, Bengal tigers nowadays are highly vulnerable to extinction as well due to increasing destruction of their natural habitats.

Within Indian culture and history, elephants have been widely used for many purposes, ranging from transportation of logs and goods to religious processions and the procession of great Indian rulers. The Indian elephant, which is also known by its scientific name Elephas maximus indicus, is predominantly found in India. Nevertheless, in this modern era, the Indian elephant population is being threatened due to dwindling numbers of this species as a result of widespread poaching and incessant destruction of their natural habitats.

This is the 20 rupees banknote, equivalent in value to Rs. 20. Once again, the obverse side portrays images of Mahatma Gandhi and the National Emblem of India.

The reverse side, on the other hand, portrays a picturesque scenery of beautiful palm trees lining the seaside. In various parts of India, especially in the southern regions, palm trees are very commonly found beautifully lining the seashores. Such seashores prove to be popular and attractive spots for both locals and tourists alike.

This is the 50 rupees banknote, equal in value to Rs. 50. Needless to say, the obverse side shows images of Mahatma Gandhi and the National Emblem of India.

On the reverse side, you can see a picture of the Parliament of India. The Parliament of India, located in the Indian capital of New Delhi, is the sole supreme legislative entity at the federal level of governance. It is also known as ‘Sansad’, which means ‘House’ in Sanskrit. The Parliament of India comprises of three components, namely the office of the President of India (the head of state of India), the lower house (Lok Sabha) and the upper house (Rajya Sabha).

India, being the second largest nation in terms of population size, is also presently the world’s largest democratic nation. This is so because China, which is the world’s most populous country, does not practice absolute democracy in its administration and as such, is not recognized as a democratic nation. Hence, the Parliament of India stands as a symbol of the people’s power in the world’s largest democracy. This is seen in the parliamentary system where members of the Lok Sabha, or the lower house of parliament, are directly elected by the general electorate of India. With that, the Lok Sabha is also known as the House of the People according to the Constitution of India.

The Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Known also as the Council of States, it has a limited membership of 250 people, of which all of its members except for 12 are chosen by the respective legislatures of each state and territory throughout India. The remaining 12 members, however, are selected by the President of India based on their expertise in specific areas and disciplines.

This is the 100 rupees, or Rs. 100 banknote. Needless to mention, once again, that Mahatma Gandhi and the National Emblem of India are portrayed on the obverse side.

This time, an image of the Himalaya Mountains is portrayed on the reverse side of the banknote. The Himalayas is a long and extensive mountain range in the central region of Asia, being the home to some of the world’s highest mountains. In fact, two of the planet’s highest peaks, namely Mount Everest and Mount K2, stand majestically within the Himalayas.

The Himalaya range runs across six different countries, which are Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. As far as India is concerned, the Himalaya range stretches across the northern and northeastern region of the country. Three of India’s main rivers, which are the Indus River, the Brahmaputra River and the Ganges River, source directly from the Himalayas. In terms of religion, this majestic mountain range is considered to be sacred to both Hinduism and Buddhism, whereby numerous temples and shrines of both religions have been constructed at various spots throughout the said range. Literature-wise, the Himalayas has also been one of the ultimate sources of inspiration for many poems and epics in the Indian culture.

Now, this is the 500 rupees banknote, equivalent to Rs. 500. Do I have to mention what’s on the obverse side again?

Observe the reverse side and you’ll see an image of Mahatma Gandhi leading a long procession. This, actually, is the well-known Salt March, which is also known as the Salt Satyagraha. Basically, the ultimate aim of the Salt March was to peacefully and non-violently oppose the system of salt taxation imposed by the British ruling India.

Led by Mahatma Gandhi and later on Sarojini Naidu as well, the Salt March commenced on the 12th of March, 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram, Gandhi’s humble abode situated in Ahmadabad, Gujarat. The long procession that Gandhi led marched all the way until they reached the seaside village of Dandi, Gujarat on the 5th of April, 1930. The Salt March came to its peak the following day when Gandhi publicly and proudly produced salt from seawater without paying taxes to the British, which was a clear-cut act of breaking the British laws governing salt production at that time. This event consequently brought about mass civil disobedience against the British salt laws when Indians all over the country started following Gandhi’s example and manufactured their own salt without paying taxes to the British.

Actually, the entire event of the Salt March led by Mahatma Gandhi promises a rather interesting story in itself. Think about it. While many other nations of the world at that time used various deadly weapons to fight for their independence, Gandhi chose to use salt as a ‘weapon’ against the British to fight for India’s independence. Of all things, why would he use SALT??? If you’d like to find out more, feel free to read another article of mine in this blog entitled “The Salt March – the March towards Independence.”

Lastly, this is the 1000 rupees, or Rs. 1000 banknote. By now, you’d be able to tell me what the images that appear on the obverse side are.

The reverse side of the banknote generally illustrates the current economy of India. The economy of India is said to be presently the twelfth largest economy worldwide in terms of market exchange rates. It, however, is also considered to be one of the currently fastest growing economies in the world. As a matter of fact, in recent years, the Indian economy has experienced a rapid and tremendous boom, effectively transforming it into one of the world’s economic superpowers. In contrast to this, the Indian economy was characterized by poor and inefficient growth from the 1950s to the 1980s, when extensive regulation and public ownership of the economy prevailed.

Currently, agriculture forms the main backbone of employment for the people of India. Nevertheless, this sector also contributes the least to India’s overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Common agricultural products include rice, wheat, oilseed, tea, fish, poultry, cattle and sheep.

India also possesses flourishing industries which majorly contribute to its rapid and effective economic growth. Besides being famed for its recent spurt of growth in the information technology (IT) and software development industries, the nation is also involved in many other fast-growing industries. Among these industries are food processing, chemicals, textiles, petroleum, mining, machinery and transportation equipment.

Many a times, we tend to take the banknotes in our pockets for granted, since we use them so frequently in our daily lives. So, if you have some Indian rupee banknotes or any other banknotes in your pocket right now, try taking them out and spend some time scrutinizing them carefully, from front to back. You’ll be surprised at how much you can actually learn about a country just by looking at its banknotes.

Contemporary Banknotes of South Korea (Part 1)

Money – something that we see and use just too often in our daily lives. Transactions, trading, buying, selling, eating, drinking and many others – money is undoubtedly the main character behind all these vital daily activities. Indeed, where would we be today without money?

It is really an understatement to say that money is such a common element in our everyday lives, up to the extent that many of us tend to take it for granted. Of course, what I mean to say is not that we literally tend to take money for granted in our daily lives. How can money actually be taken for granted if it is such a vital tool for survival in this contemporary era of rapid globalization?

Think again. Most of the time, when we whip out some money from our pockets or wallets for daily usage, we’ll just look at the large numbers inscribed on the face of the banknote or coin denoting its value. However, how many of us actually take some time to appreciate the more intricate details imprinted on this ever-so-important item in our daily lives known as money? How many of us actually take the effort to appreciate the cultural, historical and geographical values that we can obtain so readily from our banknotes and coins? Now, that’s what I mean by saying that many of us tend to ‘take money for granted’ in our lives.

Alright then! Let us now delve into the matter of interest for today. As most of you would know, Korea in imperial times consisted of both present-day North Korea and South Korea. Nevertheless, due to differences in political ideologies, the imperial nation of Korea split into two separate countries after World War II. Currently, the North practices strict communist ideologies in its governance, while the South is a liberal democratic nation.

The official currency of South Korea is none other than the won (원), which is also denoted as ₩. Theoretically, 1 won is subdivided into 100 jeon (전), but this is not put into practice in everyday transactions. The jeon is only utilized in foreign exchange rates. The sole authorized issuer of the Korean currency is the Bank of Korea (한국은행 / 韓國銀行, hanguk eunhaeng), of which its headquarters is situated in the Korean capital of Seoul.

Headquarters of the Bank of Korea (한국은행 / 韓國銀行), Seoul

Unlike many other countries, South Korea (hereafter known as Korea) does not classify banknotes and coins of similar designs and dates of issue in a single series. Instead, each individual banknote or coin is designated as series number X, corresponding to the Xth design of the banknote or coin since its introduction. To clarify the matter, let me give you an example.

The latest ₩1000 and ₩10,000 banknotes were both introduced in 2007 and, as such, they have similar designs as well. However, the Bank of Korea does not classify them under the same series of banknotes. Instead, this ₩1000 banknote is classified as Series III, since it is the third type of ₩1000 banknote to be introduced in Korea since ₩1000 banknotes were first distributed in 1975. The ₩10,000 banknote, on the other hand, is classified as Series VI, due to the fact that this banknote is the sixth type of ₩10,000 banknote to be introduced since banknotes of such a value first appeared in 1973.

Nevertheless, it is possible to broadly classify the currently legal tender banknotes into two series of introduction from our own point of view. These two series are banknotes introduced from 1983 to 2002 and banknotes introduced from 2006 up to now. Banknotes introduced earlier than these have ceased to be legal tender in Korea.

As such, I will only be covering on the mentioned two series of banknotes which are currently legal tender in the land of Korea. With each banknote, I will give you brief descriptions about the images that are portrayed on the front and back of the banknote. I will also mention the serial classification of the banknote according to the Bank of Korea’s system.

I will be dividing this article into two parts, in which I will be covering on the banknotes introduced from 1983 to 2002 in the former part (that is this part). In the latter part, I will then discuss the latest series of banknotes which was introduced from 2006 until now.

Firstly, I will be covering on the banknote series introduced from 1983 to 2002. Banknotes of this series include the ₩1000, ₩5000 and ₩10,000 notes. The banknote above is the 1000 won, or ₩1000 banknote. This banknote was first issued in 1983, and thus is classified by the Bank of Korea as Series II, since there was only one other type of ₩1000 banknote produced prior to 1983.

On the obverse side, you will see the portrait of a great Korean Confucian scholar by the name of Yi Hwang (이황 / 李滉, i hwang), who is also known by his penname Toegye (퇴계 /退溪).

Scholar Yi Hwang (1501 – 1570) is considered to be one of the two greatest Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled both present-day North and South Korea from 1392 to 1910. Confucianism, which originated from China, was eventually adopted and absorbed into the imperial Korean society as a result of cultural exchange. As such, Confucianism, in the Korean context, played an extremely integral role in the imperial Korean government and society, especially during the Joseon Dynasty (조선왕조 / 朝鮮王朝, joseon wangjo). Born in Andong (안동 / 安東) in 1501, Scholar Yi Hwang was a child prodigy who learned Confucian teachings and Chinese characters from a very young age. Later in his life, he became a prominent official of the Joseon government, producing many remarkable works of Korean literature and establishing a private Confucian academy.

The reverse side of the banknote depicts the image of the Dosan Seowon (도산서원 / 陶山書院) situated in Andong, South Korea. As I’ve mentioned in the paragraph above, Scholar Yi Hwang had established a private Confucian academy during his lifetime. This academy is, in fact, the Dosan Seowon, which was established in 1574. When Yi Hwang retired to his hometown in 1549, he started the construction of the Dosan Seowon for the purposes of offering education in Confucianism and the classics, as well as to honour the sages with memorial rituals. Nevertheless, he passed away in 1570, four years before he could see the full establishment of his academy. After its establishment, Yi Hwang’s disciples and local Confucian authorities played active roles in running the academy as a commemoration to its founder.

This is the 5000 won, or ₩5000 banknote. Two different series of this banknote were first issued in 1983 and 2002 respectively, both having the same design and images. The difference was that the 2002 series had additional security features which the 1983 series did not have. Hence, under the Bank of Korea’s classification system, the 1983 series belongs to Series III, while the 2002 series belongs to Series IV.

The obverse side portrays an image of another prominent Korean Confucian scholar known as Yi I (이이 / 李珥, i i). He is also often referred to by his penname Yulgok (율곡 / 栗谷).

Earlier, I’ve mentioned that Scholar Yi Hwang is considered to be one of the two greatest Korean Confucian scholars of the Joseon Dynasty. If Scholar Yi Hwang is one of the two, who is the other, then? Well, the other greatest Korean Confucian scholar is none other than Scholar Yi I.

Born in Bukpyeong (북평), Gangwon Province (강원도 / 江原道, gangwondo), which is currently under South Korean administration, Scholar Yi I (1536 – 1584) was also a prominent child prodigy who could capably read the Chinese script since the age of three. Upon reaching the age of seven, he was already able to write beautiful poems in classical Chinese and had also completed his education in the classics of Confucianism. While serving as an important official in the Joseon government, he produced many remarkable books of his time, which focused on Confucian philosophy and Taoist principles.

The reverse side of the note displays an image of the Ojukheon Residence (오죽헌 / 烏竹軒, ojukheon) in the city of Gangneung (강릉 / 江陵), Gangwon Province, South Korea. Gangneung, which was known as Bukpyeong in imperial times, is the birthplace of Scholar Yi I. To be more specific, the Ojukheon Residence in Gangneung is the exact birthplace of the great Korean scholar. The residence has now been converted into a museum for public viewing and it remains as one of the oldest wooden buildings in the entire country. Inside the residence, one can see a memorial hall dedicated to Scholar Yi I, the exact room where Yi I was born, as well as the household shrine of the great scholar’s family.

This is the 10,000 won, or ₩10,000 banknote. This banknote has been issued in three different series, which were released starting from 1983, 1994 and 2000 respectively. All the three series have similar designs and images printed on them. What differentiated them were merely the presence of extra security features in the 1994 series which the 1983 series did not have, and the modification of some of these security features in the 2000 series. As such, the Bank of Korea classifies the 1983, 1994 and 2000 series as Series III, Series IV and Series V respectively.

This time, the obverse side shows the portrait of King Sejong the Great (세종대왕, sejong daewang). King Sejong (1397 – 1450) was the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty who ruled Korea from 1418 to 1450. King Sejong was a prominent king who contributed vastly to the strengthening of the Korean military and to the development of Korean science and technology. However, King Sejong’s greatest contribution in history is the invention of the current Korean alphabet, known as the Hangul (한글).

The Korean language traditionally used the Hanja (한자 / 漢字) writing system, which is the Korean script written in Chinese characters. This script was borrowed from the Chinese language in China and was adapted to suit Korean pronunciation, just like how the Chinese script was borrowed by the Japanese and adapted into the Japanese language as well. Nevertheless, the Chinese script used in the Japanese language remains till today, but not so with the Korean language. In this modern era, the official script used in the Korean language is no longer the Hanja script, but rather the Hangul script. To illustrate the difference between these two Korean scripts, let me give you an example. Below is King Sejong’s name in Korean (sejong daewang) written in the two scripts:

1. 世宗大王 (Hanja script)
2. 세종대왕 (Hangul script)

The Hangul script is, thus, the sole Korean script which is native and unique to the Korean language, not borrowed from any other culture. Before the invention of the Hangul script, the Hanja script was the sole script used in Korean, in which only the aristocratic classes mastered it. Hence, King Sejong launched a major project to devise the Hangul script so that more peasants and commoners could be literate in Korean. In the initial few centuries after the invention of Hangul, many imperial officials and aristocrats opposed it and saw it as an illegitimate script. Nonetheless, Hangul eventually became popular with the majority of Koreans who were commoners, consequently leading to reduced utilization of Hanja up to today, when Hangul is recognized as the sole official Korean script.

Hangul script (above) & Hanja script (below)

The reverse side of the banknote displays an illustration of the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (경회루 / 慶會樓, gyeonghoeru), which is part of the Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁 / 景福宮, gyeongbokgung) in northern Seoul. Initially constructed in 1394 under King Taejo (태조 / 太祖), the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, the Gyeongbok Palace served as the main palace and seat of government of the imperial Korean kings. It was reconstructed and expanded in 1867, but was devastatingly demolished by the Japanese government during the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Since then, vigorous efforts have been made by the Korean authorities to restore the palace back to its original state prior to its destruction.

The Gyeonghoeru Pavilion is a grand hall within the palace which was utilised as a venue for imperial banquets during the Joseon Dynasty. Constructed on an island in the middle of a beautiful manmade lake, the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion serves as one of the most prominent national landmarks of Korea.

Alright! That’s all for the 1983 – 2002 banknote series. In the latter part of this article, I will then be covering on the latest series of Korean banknotes which were introduced from 2006 onwards up to the present time.

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (경회루 / 慶會樓)