Hell Bank Notes
Jan 14, 2006
So, apparently in Chinese culture, people send gifts to their departed love ones to ensure that their spirits live on in comfort. One of the things that are usually sent are Hell Bank Notes, money for them to spend in the afterworld. In other cultures, such notes are used to bribe the King of Hell, also known as the Jade Emperor or Grandpa Heaven, for the earlier release of the held spirit. My favorite part of this Wikipedia article is the discussion of Hell Bank Note values:
Regardless of the presentation, Hell Bank Notes are well known for their outrageously large denominations, ranging from $10,000, $100,000, $1,000,000 or even $500,000,000; the Chinese afterlife is apparently subject to hyperinflation.