Issued in 1990 by the People’s Bank of China, this 1 Yuan banknote is part of the fourth series of the Renminbi. The obverse features portraits of Dong and Yao ethnic minority youths dressed in traditional clothing, highlighting China’s cultural diversity.
The reverse depicts the Great Wall of China, symbolizing the nation’s heritage and strength. The banknote includes inscriptions in Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur, and Zhuang languages.
Printed on cotton-based paper, the note measures 140 × 63 mm. It features a watermark, a security thread, Braille tactile marks for the visually impaired, and UV-reactive fibers for added security.
Obverse
Brown-violet on multicolour underprint.
Dong and Yao youths at right. Arms at upper left. Stylized birds in underprint at center. Braille dot at lower left.
Scripts: Braille, Chinese (simplified)
Lettering:
中国人民银行
⠂
壹圆
Translation:
The People’s Bank of China
One Yuan
Reverse
Dark red print on multicolour underprint.
Great Wall of China at centre.
Scripts: Chinese (traditional, seal script), Latin, Mongolian / Manchu, Old Uyghur, Tibetan
Lettering:
ZHONGGUO RENMIN YINHANG
YI YUAN
ᠳᠤᠮᠳᠠᠳᠤ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ ᠤᠨ ᠠᠷᠠᠳ ᠤᠨ ᠪᠠᠩᠬᠢ ཀྲུང་གོམི་མི་རྣམས་དངུལ་ཁང་། جۇڭگو خەلق بانكىسى بىر يۈەن Cuŋhgoz Yinzminz Yinzhaŋz it mənz
Lettering (regular font):
ZHONGGUO RENMIN YINHANG
YI YUAN
ᠳᠤᠮᠳᠠᠳᠤ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ ᠤᠨ ᠠᠷᠠᠳ ᠤᠨ ᠪᠠᠩᠬᠢ ཀྲུང་གོམི་མི་རྣམས་དངུལ་ཁང་། جۇڭگو خەلق بانكىسى بىر يۈەن Cuŋhgoz Yinzminz Yinzhaŋz it mənz
Translation: The People’s Bank of China, One Yuan.
Watermark
1980-1990: Ancient Pu (pants) coin repeated
1996: Stars
Comments
Notes dated 1980 were not issued into circulation until May 10, 1988. The 1990 edition was issued on March 1, 1995 and the 1996 edition was issued on April 1, 1997. Withdrawal of the 4th Series commenced on May 1, 2018, with the exchange period ending on April 30, 2019.
UV activity:
© Kiet Tran
1996 stars watermark repeated throughout the entire note:
© Kiet Tran
Features
| Issuer | People’s Republic of China |
|---|---|
| Issuing bank | People’s Bank of China (中國人民銀行/中国人民银行) |
| Ruling authority | People’s Republic (1949-date) |
| Type | Standard circulation banknotes |
| Years | 1980-1996 |
| Value | 1 Yuan (1元, 壹圓) (1 CNY) |
| Currency | Rénmínbì (1955-date) |
| Composition | Paper |
| Size | 140 × 63 mm |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Issued | 10 May 1988 |
| Demonetized | 30 April 2019 |


