As an indispensable thing for every Chinese, the renminbi does not know how many times it has been changed just by revising it.
Everyone knows that our latest version of Grandpa Mao is printed with our Chairman Mao's portrait, but in fact, before this version, there was a beautiful woman printed on one yuan.
The 16-year-old woman, who was printed on the fourth edition of the renminbi, decided that she was the most suitable design to appear on the renminbi the moment the designer saw her.
How beautiful was this Dong girl named Shi Niyin when she was young? What about now?
The girl on the fourth edition of the yuan
Information source: People's Internet celebrity star news 2017-08-25 "Visiting Shi Milk to Uncover the Real Life of "RMB Girl"
Today, I want to tell you about a Dong woman named Shi Niyin, whose life is closely linked to a banknote by chance.
In fact, Shi Niyin, who was born in Zhaijin Village, Qingyun Township, Guizhou, is the "village flower" in the village when he is a child.
With a warped nose, big round eyes, and a pure and moving appearance, anyone who sees it has to praise her beauty.
Shi Niyin is not only beautiful, but also has a handicraft, as an ethnic minority, she sings this skill is absolutely essential.
In addition to singing, embroidery, weaving, dyeing, etc., stone milk introduction is even more handy.
Born in a not wealthy family, she has 6 children at home, and she is the eldest one, because there are many people in the family, so as the eldest she, she has to come out early to share the burden for the family.
At the age of 4, she can already help the family herd cattle, at the age of 7 she can already do some simple housework, and when she is 14 years old, she will be able to do some handicraft work thoroughly.
It is estimated that Shi Niyin did not expect that by chance, he would be printed on the RMB.
In 1978, when the mainland was preparing to issue the fourth edition of the renminbi, the issuance of the renminbi was a simple task, but the difficulty was in the design style.
It is necessary not only to design a good-looking style, but also to find a style that conforms to the RMB.
Therefore, the responsibility of designing the RMB style was handed over to Hou Yimin, a famous RMB designer in the mainland.
Although as a designer, designing a renminbi is a very simple matter, no matter how you say it, it is also a major event related to the country, and you dare not be ambiguous in any case.
So Hou Yimin, who received the task, racked his brains, and finally thought of using the portraits of ethnic minorities as the cover, saying that it was too late and that it was too fast, Hou Yimin immediately set off to Guizhou.
It was in this year that he and Shi Niyin met.
It was a fine afternoon in 1979, and Shi Muyin, who was only 16 years old at the time, was strolling around the Congjiang County market with the girls in the village, her youthful face shining in the sun.
At this moment, an unfamiliar painter came over, his gaze lingered on Shi Nanyin's face for a moment, and then invited her to be a model and paint a portrait of her.
Out of curiosity and shyness, Shi Nan finally agreed, and she sat aside, quietly letting the painter capture her charm.
At that moment, she may not have realized that this simple portrait would make her a person known to the whole country.
Shi Niyin didn't take that experience to heart, and didn't tell anyone afterwards, and continued to live her life.
It wasn't until she was 49 years old that she knew she had been painted on the fourth edition of the renminbi.
Although it is painted on the yuan, life is still ordinary
I thought that this portrait would make Shi Niyin explode on the Internet, but her beauty did not bring special luck to Shi Niyin.
Born into a poor rural family with six children, she lived in poverty, and although her image was printed on the renminbi, her life did not change drastically.
She still lives the same life as an ordinary rural girl, hardworking, simple, and kind.
After that incident, the sun was still rising in the east and setting in the west, and Shi Niyin's days continued as usual, until 2020, when she learned that the image on the yuan was herself.
According to Shi Wenwen, a propaganda committee member of Qingyun Town, Jiang County, as early as 1994, the government at that time discovered that the ethnic image on the renminbi was a headdress that only the local Dong people would have.
But everyone didn't care, and they didn't find this person until 2010, when someone realized that the portrait on it wasn't Shi Milk Yin?
Under everyone's verification, Shi Niyin remembered this incident that happened decades ago, if someone hadn't asked, he would have forgotten that such a thing happened to him.
I thought that after knowing about this incident, Shi Niyin's life would change because of this incident, but she still concentrated on her farm work for ten years.
At this time, Shi Maoyin was already married and had a pair of children, and their family situation was also a real poor household.
It wasn't until later that the village realized the situation of these poor households and launched a special poverty alleviation campaign, through which they could earn four or five thousand yuan a year, at least for their families.
Until 2021, Shi Maoyin has already lifted itself out of poverty through these poverty alleviation projects.
However, now Shi Niyin is over sixty years old, and the years have left traces on her face, and she has long lost her original beauty, but in everyone's hearts, she will always be the most beautiful.
Although for Shi Niyin, this "honor" did not bring earth-shaking changes to her life.
But she still maintained the simplicity and diligence of that country girl, and continued to work in the fields and take care of the family.
The vicissitudes of the renminbi
The Chinese currency, as the country's legal tender, is not just a simple piece of paper, but contains profound culture and history.
From the first edition to the current fifth edition, the design changes of the renminbi are like a condensed history of modern China, recording the development of the country and the changes of the times.
Back then, the first version of the renminbi was born in the war-torn era, and the design at that time was more practical and functional, simple and simple, but of great significance.
With the passage of time, the second and third editions of the renminbi have gradually appeared in our field of vision, and more national cultural elements have gradually been incorporated into the design.
For example, landscapes, architecture, ethnic patterns, etc., all show the breadth and profundity of Chinese culture.
This fourth version of the renminbi was introduced by the Dong girl printed on the one-yuan yuan, Shi Milk.
An ordinary village girl, because of a chance portrait opportunity, turned out to be a familiar "RMB girl" to the people of the whole country.
Whenever I see that one-yuan card, I think of this beautiful and simple girl, and the extraordinary story behind her.
In the editor's view, printing the portrait of Shi Niyin on the RMB is not only a recognition of her beautiful image, but also a respect and inheritance of rural culture and national characteristics.
This design cleverly combines an ordinary person with the country's currency, making the renminbi not only a tool of exchange, but also a carrier of culture.
With the advancement of science and technology and the improvement of anti-counterfeiting technology, the fifth edition of the renminbi pays more attention to security and artistry in design.
But no matter how it changes, the RMB carries the hard work and wisdom of the Chinese people, and also records the historical trajectory of our country from poverty to prosperity.
Therefore, every time I get a brand new renminbi in my hand, I will feel an inexplicable cordiality and pride, because this is not only a banknote, but also a witness to the rise and take-off of our Chinese nation.
One final word
Nowadays, whenever someone mentions Shi Niyin, the villagers will show admiration and envy.
Her story has become a local legend, passed down among the mountains and rivers, inspiring generations of young people to pursue their dreams.
And Shi Niyin herself has always maintained a normal heart for this unexpected "celebrity" identity.
She knows that life is not supported by beauty, but needs to be created by her own hands.
Therefore, she has never stopped working and struggling, and interprets the truth of "hard work and prosperity" with her own practical actions.
Text/Editor: Zhao Cai Xiaofen