Chinese currency cannot be exchanged outside China, so you can only obtain it once you arrive. Bank of China branches at both the Beijing and Shanghai airports let you exchange money on arrival. You can also exchange currency at any Bank of China or Industrial and Commercial Bank of China branch, and larger hotels will usually exchange foreign currency into renminbi (yuan) without any problem.
Banknotes come in 100, 50, 20 and 10 yuan denominations.
Problems when exchanging money
Outside some banks you may be approached by people offering to exchange money at a better rate. This should be avoided — it's illegal, and there's no guarantee the cash you receive is genuine. Even if they offer to come into the bank with you, be very wary.
Exchanging US dollars or euros at a bank counter is otherwise straightforward. Keep your exchange receipts, as you'll need to show them if you want to convert renminbi back into foreign currency.
