(Ecns.cn) –Pan Shiyi, one of China's most prominent property tycoons, who was ridiculed earlier this month, mocked himself by showing computer-generated pictures of pink banknotes as his own currency Wednesday, according to a report of the Nanfang Daily.
Pan, chairman of Soho China Ltd., said jokingly on his Sina Weibo microblog that he was showing an initial sample version of the "Pan currency," the denomination which is a reference to his surname and is worth 1,000 yuan ($154.6) per square meter for buying houses.
Earlier this month, Pan proposed online that Apple should start offering cheaper versions of smart phones at the price of 1,000 yuan a piece as a way to commemorate the recently deceased chairman Steve Jobs, and he said millions of Chinese would be very grateful too.
Then a commenter said Pan should offer houses at 1,000 yuan per square meter after he passes away, and in this way, over a billion people will remember him forever.
This widely forwarded version of the "Pan currency" is quite similar to the current Chinese 100-yuan note, both of which are pink in color, except with Pan's image on the front instead of Chairman Mao Zedong. Besides this, the issuing bank was changed to the Soho Bank of China.
This was seen as a successful marketing trick by Soho China, because it attracted a lot of public attention. However, many pointed out that even joking has a limit. They thought Pan has gone a little too far by replacing himself with Chairman Mao.
Experts warned that Pan's behavior was disrespectful to the Chinese currency Renminbi. According to Li Dongfang, professor with the Institute of Economic Law at the China University of Political Science and Law, Pan should have a general knowledge of China's law, or else he may have to receive education from financial regulators.
