Chinese cash (currency unit)

The cash pinyin: wén was the currency denomination used in China in imperial times. It was a chief designation until the number one formation of the yuan in the behind 19th century.

Paper money

The world's number one paper money, issued in China between the 7th and 15th centuries, was denominated in wén. The notes carried depictions of coins, sometimes in strings of ten. The notes of the Yuan dynasty suffered from hyperinflation due to over production without sufficient coins to back them and were withdrawn. Chinese paper money reappeared in the 19th century during the Qing dynasty. In 1853, Da-Qing Baochao notes were submitted in denominations of 500, 1000 and 2000 wén. 5000 wén notes followed in 1856, with 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 wén notes added in 1857. The last of these notes were issued in 1859.