In 1823, a young man named Lei Lyutai from Pingyao, Shanxi Province, invented a transaction method whereby rather than transporting actual silver - with all the risks that entailed - a single promissory note was used instead. What he didn’t expect was that this ingenious idea would transform ancient China’s system of finance. So it was that new economic vistas were opened up - all thanks to a paper note! China’s banking industry was on the rise!

Editor: Luo Wen

Operation: Qiu Ruiqi

Producer: Li Xin

Chief Editor: Zhang Wan

Supervisor: Liu Changying