Purple Bull Hot Topic | A funeral supplies store in Huai'an, Jiangsu, sells "Renminbi version" hell bank notes. The printer was fined 52,000 yuan, and all illegal gains were confiscated.

Yangzi Evening News, March 28 (Reporter Guo Yipeng) - As Tomb-Sweeping Day approaches, various sacrificial items are becoming popular. Citizens may notice that some stalls are selling “realistic” paper money that closely resembles the Renminbi. On March 27, the People’s Bank of China, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the State Administration for Market Regulation announced five typical cases of illegal production and sale of “Renminbi version” paper money, reminding merchants not to produce or sell “Renminbi version” paper money, and the general public not to purchase or use it.

Yangzi Evening News/Ziniu News reporters noted that in a case released by the official WeChat account of the People’s Bank of China, one incident occurred in Huai’an, Jiangsu. The case shows that in April 2025, online monitoring discovered that a funeral supplies store in Jinhu County, Huai’an City, Jiangsu Province, was selling “Renminbi version” paper money. The Huai’an branch of the People’s Bank of China, in conjunction with the Huai’an Market Regulation Bureau and the Jinhu County Public Security Bureau, conducted enforcement actions, investigated paper money wholesaler Wang, and traced the printing manufacturer Yan based on clues provided by Wang. A large quantity of “Renminbi version” paper money, both finished and semi-finished products, as well as printing templates, were confiscated. The outcome: Considering that Wang actively cooperated with the investigation and showed whistleblowing behavior, relevant departments legally issued a warning and imposed a fine of 4,500 yuan on Wang, confiscating all illegal gains; Yan was fined 52,000 yuan, and all illegal gains were confiscated, with all involved paper money destroyed.

According to reports, the Renminbi is the legal currency of China, symbolizing the country’s economic sovereignty and representing an important aspect of national credit. The “Regulations on the Administration of the Renminbi of the People’s Republic of China” and the “Measures for the Administration of the Use of Renminbi Patterns” stipulate that the production, imitation, and sale of Renminbi patterns are prohibited, and Renminbi patterns cannot be used on sacrificial items, daily necessities, or tickets. In recent years, the People’s Bank of China, together with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the State Administration for Market Regulation, has conducted legal actions against the illegal production and sale of “Renminbi version” paper money to effectively protect the image and credibility of the Renminbi. The so-called “Renminbi version” paper money refers to paper money that has used or imitated the complete patterns of the Renminbi that are currently in circulation or have exited circulation, including the main scene patterns on the front and back featuring figures.

In this regard, Article 26 of the “Regulations on the Administration of the Renminbi of the People’s Republic of China” prohibits the following acts that damage the Renminbi: “(2) Producing, imitating, and selling Renminbi patterns.” Article 4 of the “Measures for the Administration of the Use of Renminbi Patterns” states: “The use of Renminbi patterns on sacrificial items, daily necessities, or tickets is prohibited.” Article 14 of the “Measures for the Administration of the Use of Renminbi Patterns” stipulates: “No unit or individual may sell promotional materials, publications, or other goods that illegally use Renminbi patterns.”

As Tomb-Sweeping Day approaches, the public is urged not to purchase or use “Renminbi version” paper money, and merchants are advised not to produce or sell “Renminbi version” paper money. If the public discovers any illegal production or sale of “Renminbi version” paper money, they can report it to the local People’s Bank of China, civil affairs departments, and market regulation departments, which will investigate and handle the matter according to the law.