Here's a breakdown of its appearance:
* Made of paper: It was made from a durable, slightly thicker paper, possibly mulberry bark paper.
* Handwritten: Each note was individually handwritten by officials, often using black ink on a white background.
* Simple design: The notes were relatively plain, with the value, date, and sometimes the issuing authority written on them.
* No images or portraits: There were no intricate designs, portraits, or security features like we see on modern banknotes.
* Size: The size of the notes varied, but they were generally small and rectangular.
Here's a glimpse of how the early jiaozi might have looked:
Imagine a small rectangular piece of paper with a few lines of carefully written Chinese characters. The characters might denote the value of the note, the date of issue, and perhaps the name of the issuing official or institution.
Why did it look so simple?
Because it was primarily used for transactions within government offices and was not widely circulated among the public. The notes acted as promissory notes that could be exchanged for actual coins when needed.
It was only later, during the Song Dynasty, that paper money evolved into a more sophisticated form with more detailed designs and features.