He's right on the money. Wait, um, not anymore...

July 7, 2008 7:19 AM

For the first time in nearly a decade China is issuing new banknotes without the image of Chairman Mao. Instead there's a picture of, you guessed it, their shiny new Olympic stadium. And a discus thrower on the back.

Interested in banknotes? There have been a few MeFi posts on banknote sites over the years. See here, here and here.

posted by flapjax at midnite (46 comments total)

Interesting, on many levels, that they took what looks like a classical Greek statue for their banknote.
posted by DU at 7:26 AM on July 7, 2008

And that stadium, damn, it really does look like a bird's nest.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:26 AM on July 7, 2008

They still ain't gonna make it with anyone, anyhow.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:29 AM on July 7, 2008 [3 favorites]

That discus thrower is the Discobolus sculpture (scroll down to see better pictures; the one at the top of the Wikipedia article is, inexplicably, an incorrectly restored one).
posted by jedicus at 7:30 AM on July 7, 2008

Not sure that the first statement is true. I have a couple of banknotes i picked up in Beijing a couple of years ago. Neither contains a portrait of Chairman Mao. BTW, i think the ones i have are probably the most beutiful banknotes i ever saw
posted by MrMerlot at 7:36 AM on July 7, 2008

As far as I can recall, Mao is only featured on the 100 Yuan note.
posted by daveleck at 7:41 AM on July 7, 2008

Okay. Wikipedia shows Mao on the 20, 50 and 100 yuan notes.
posted by daveleck at 7:43 AM on July 7, 2008

So, not Brutalist. What do they call Herzog & de Meuron Architekten's style? Reductivist?
posted by chuckdarwin at 7:53 AM on July 7, 2008

What do they call Herzog & de Meuron Architekten's style? Reductivist?

I call it Hilarious.
posted by Spatch at 8:06 AM on July 7, 2008

Considering it's a birds nest, I think that would make this "Naturalist" architecture. It's confirmed by the exposed naked structure of the building.
posted by Eekacat at 8:08 AM on July 7, 2008

It's too regularly geometric to be a nest, plus it doesn't have bits sticking out. It looks like a ball of string.
posted by DU at 8:12 AM on July 7, 2008

I call it practical and exciting.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 8:13 AM on July 7, 2008

The Bird's Nest Stadium:

Environmentally Friendly: Yes.

Ugly as sin: Also yes.
posted by JDHarper at 8:25 AM on July 7, 2008

I kind of like the Stadium. At least it's not another Camden Yards knock-off.
posted by Mister_A at 8:36 AM on July 7, 2008

I like it too. It's weirdly organic looking.
posted by cazoo at 8:38 AM on July 7, 2008

I have referred to the stadium as a laundry basket in print. But I think it's rather beautiful.
posted by WPW at 8:52 AM on July 7, 2008

Well, the actual image isn't so bad.

But the artists' rendering in weapons grade pandemonium's link... it looks like an open sore. They definitely should not paint it red like that.
posted by JDHarper at 9:01 AM on July 7, 2008

Okay. Wikipedia shows Mao on the 20, 50 and 100 yuan notes.
He's on the ones and tens too.
Beginning of a slow-phase out of the Great Helmsman's ubiquity at long last? They've abandoned everything he stood for. Crunch will be relocating his fat corpse from that oversized public lavatory of a memorial hall in Tiananmen and swapping his portrait over the gate for one of Sun Yat-sen.
posted by Abiezer at 9:26 AM on July 7, 2008

So is it that Mao has realized how tasteless and lame it is that he puts his face on all the money? Or is he just doing this for the next couple few weeks and then after the Olympics are over he goes right back to business as usual? I'd say it's gonna be the latter. Color me impressed.
posted by ZachsMind at 9:27 AM on July 7, 2008 [3 favorites]

Chinese Bloggers Score a Victory Against the Government
posted by homunculus at 9:35 AM on July 7, 2008

Oops, that was supposed to go in this thread.
posted by homunculus at 9:39 AM on July 7, 2008

On the front, there's a phallic assemblage rising up on the right and, in the center, the vaginal stadium, the 'nest'. On the back, there's a naked guy and, while we can't see his wang, the three women running at him sure can. If I had better eyes or a larger image, I might tell you what else I see -- a pistol (?) about to be fired in the direction that the discus thrower's penis would fire? a girl with legs spread wide? -- but I'll leave it at that.

To which you might cry, "Bollocks!" But bollocks, I don't see here. Well, may in the 10 on the front right. Yeah, you're right, that could be the bollocks. Mao's bollocks, for all we know.
posted by pracowity at 9:40 AM on July 7, 2008

Color me impressed.

Considering Mao's dead, you should be.
posted by Cyrano at 9:40 AM on July 7, 2008

So is it that Mao has realized how tasteless and lame it is that he puts his face on all the money? Or is he just doing this for the next couple few weeks and then after the Olympics are over he goes right back to business as usual? I'd say it's gonna be the latter. Color me impressed.

wtf?
posted by nasreddin at 9:41 AM on July 7, 2008

I predict after the Olympics are over Mao goes right back to business as usual.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:42 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

So is it that Mao has realized how tasteless and lame it is that he puts his face on all the money? Or is he just doing this for the next couple few weeks and then after the Olympics are over he goes right back to business as usual? I'd say it's gonna be the latter. Color me impressed.

This is great.
posted by Gnatcho at 9:49 AM on July 7, 2008

Anyway, ZachsMind, it's the same deal in Russia right now. Once Stalin gets back from the G8 Summit, who knows what's gonna happen?
posted by Gnatcho at 9:51 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Color me impressed.

As am I, but probably not for the same reason you are.
Sounds to me like someone needs to eat more PowerSauce Bars.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:58 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

I Still miss my guilders.
posted by DreamerFi at 9:59 AM on July 7, 2008

If you are Chairman Mao, is there any chance of making it with anyone anyhow? Because bearing the visage of Mao is not the same thing as carrying a picture of Mao. Mao. Mao. Mao.

Mao Mao Mao Mao
Mao Mao Mao Mao
Mao Mao Mao Mao Mao Mao Mao Mao
Mao Mao Mao Mao
Mao Mao Mao Mao
Mao Mao Mao MaoMao Mao Mao Mao

&c.

Name that tune!
posted by Mister_A at 10:01 AM on July 7, 2008

The musical sequence in La Chinoise?
posted by Gnatcho at 10:03 AM on July 7, 2008

I'm just waiting until all money looks like this.

**checking watch** Should be hitting me in a half-hour or so. Hey, wait, I see a discus thrower!
posted by not_on_display at 10:06 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

Crimson Mao's been unpublished.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:27 AM on July 7, 2008

ZachsMind: So is it that Mao has realized how tasteless and lame it is that he puts his face on all the money? Or is he just doing this for the next couple few weeks and then after the Olympics are over he goes right back to business as usual? I'd say it's gonna be the latter. Color me impressed.

This is perhaps the best comment I have ever read on Metafilter.
posted by matthewr at 10:37 AM on July 7, 2008

That would be the Meow Mix jingle, Mister_A. I hang my head in shame.
posted by jedicus at 10:59 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

I can see why people say the stadium looks like a bird's nest. What I'm afraid of though, is once it's built, what kind of colossal robo-bird it will attract.

I suspect that more than anything, this is a Chinese based effort up unseat Japan's giant monster monopoly.
posted by quin at 11:14 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

4 points to jedicus, who wins the round!
posted by Mister_A at 11:18 AM on July 7, 2008

Meanwhile, the Hole in the Ozone Layer and Giant Penguins are still showing their continental domination by imposing themselves on the Antarctican currency,

...aaaand Time is now Money.
posted by not_on_display at 11:19 AM on July 7, 2008

So is it that Mao has realized how tasteless and lame it is that he puts his face on all the money?

Undead Mao Zedong is watching you mint.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 11:25 AM on July 7, 2008

So is it that Mao has realized how tasteless and lame it is that he puts his face on all the money?

He gets flack for this kind of stuff all the time, but he's actually a pretty cool guy. I knew him through a friend in college, and he was kind of a dick but fun to hang out with. The only bad part was when he got too drunk and started telling you all about his big "5 Year Plan" or some other bullshit.

Anyway a few years back I'm sitting in a bar up on 10th street and guess who walks in, the man himself. I introduced myself and made some lame joke about him being the "chair-man" but he didn't remember me. We had a few beers and remembered the good old times, and he talked about being the President of China or whatever. He also said he extra Bob Seger tickets that he was going to give me but he never came through with them (typical).
posted by burnmp3s at 11:49 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]

It's pretty clear why they changed up the design. After all, Mao money, Mao problems.
posted by Bromius at 11:53 AM on July 7, 2008 [4 favorites]

"So is it that Mao has realized how tasteless and lame it is that he puts his face on all the money? Or is he just doing this for the next couple few weeks and then after the Olympics are over he goes right back to business as usual? I'd say it's gonna be the latter. Color me impressed."

WINNER
posted by stenseng at 12:00 PM on July 7, 2008

Well, ZachsMind, I don't think it's exactly "impressed" that folks are coloring you here...

You gotta crack those history books, man!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:51 PM on July 7, 2008

Or, as John Lennon said...

But if you go thinkin' the Chairman is still alive
Your standing at MeFi is sure gonna a take a dive...
Cause you know the man is dead!
Allright!
Cause you know the man is dead!
Allright!
Cause you know the man is dead!
Allright!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:56 PM on July 7, 2008

So, is the part where everyone piles on ZachsMind?

Death

At five o'clock in the afternoon of September 2, 1976, Mao suffered another myocardial infarction (heart attack), far more severe than the previous two and affecting much larger area of his heart. His body was giving out. The personal doctors group began emergency treatment immediately. X rays indicated that his lung infection had worsened, and his urine output dropped to less than 300 cc a day. Mao was awake and alert throughout the crisis and asked several times whether he was in danger. His condition continued to fluctuate and his life hung in the balance. Three days later, on September 5 Mao's condition was still critical, and Hua Guofeng called Jiang Qing back from her trip. She spent only a few moments in Building 202 before returning to her own residence in the Spring Lotus Chamber. On the afternoon of September 7, Mao took a turn for the worse. Jiang Qing came to Building 202 where she learned the news. Mao had just fallen asleep and needed the rest, but she insisted on rubbing his back and moving his limbs, and she sprinkled powder on his body. The medical team protested that the dust from the powder was not good for his lungs, but she instructed the nurses on duty to follow her example later. The next morning, September 8, she came again. She wanted the medical staff to change Mao's sleeping position, claiming that he had been lying too long on his left side. The doctor on duty objected, knowing that he could breathe only on his left side, but she had him moved nonetheless. Mao's breathing stopped, and his face turned blue. Jiang Qing left the room while the medical staff put him on a respirator and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Mao revived, and Hua Guofeng urged Jiang Qing not to interfere further with the doctor's work. Mao had been in poor health for several years and had declined visibly for some months prior to his death. His body lay in state at the Great Hall of the People. A memorial service was held in Tiananmen Square on September 18, 1976. There was a three minute silence observed during this service. His body was later placed into the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, although he wished to be cremated and had been one of the first high-ranking officials to sign the "Proposal that all Central Leaders be Cremated after Death" in November 1956.

posted by chuckdarwin at 1:16 AM on July 9, 2008

So, is the part where everyone piles on ZachsMind?

You're a little late there, man, but, yeah, this is the place!

Don't feel too bad about it, either, chuckdarwin. ZachsMind has gleefully engaged in some piling on of his own, in the past. Haven't ya, ZM?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:28 AM on July 9, 2008