Yes as the title suggested, I had only ¥25 cash in my pocket when I landed in the Western Chinese city of Chongqing to start a 2 week business trip.
Apart from Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou are also on the itinerary – I also planned a quick weekend visit to my parents in Nantong (a small provincial city with only 8 million people).
I was not worried about the cash – I had both WeChat and Alipay in my phone, and a power bank to keep my phone charged.
The missing ¥5
After 10 days, I had ¥20 left in the pocket.
Guess where the other ¥5 went?
I bought domestic air tickets on Ctrip, paying with WeChat.
I purchased high speed rail ticket at the ticketing machine, paying with Alipay.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thelowdown.momentum.asia/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/alipay-train.png?resize=696%2C695&ssl=1)
I paid for my bus ride with Alipay as well.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thelowdown.momentum.asia/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/alipay-bus.png?resize=696%2C521&ssl=1)
I bought a new pair of jeans with Alipay, and two books with WeChat.
I paid every coffee, whether at Starbucks or any roadside cafe, with WeChat.
I even bought some tandoori bread with Alipay. The baker just hung the QR code outside for whoever wanting to scan.
![](https://i0.wp.com/thelowdown.momentum.asia/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/alipay-tandoor.png?resize=696%2C521&ssl=1)
That’s the beautiful part of Alipay and WeChat – they are so prevalent that they do not have to convince merchants to accept it anymore. Merchant would print and display QR codes on their own – because customers demand to pay with either of the services.
And when I was buying breakfast another day, the stall owner was so busy that he put his QR codes everywhere: “just pick whatever you want and scan the code to pay yourself.” And whenever a payment is made, a voice notification goes around the stall: “¥6 (or whatever amount)” has been received.”
![](https://i0.wp.com/thelowdown.momentum.asia/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/alipay-busy.png?resize=696%2C695&ssl=1)
And of course, he is happy that he doesn’t need to tally the cash at the end of the busy morning.
Guess where did the ¥5 go?
Earlier today, I told a friend about the ¥5, and she said “you must have donated to a buddhist temple”.
Well, I did visit a buddhist temple, and gave some donation. But here is how I did it:
![](https://i0.wp.com/thelowdown.momentum.asia/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/wechat-temple.png?resize=696%2C521&ssl=1)
OK, I gave the ¥5 to a street artist playing flute along the river dike in Chongqing – a popular tourist attraction. He had a QR code displayed next to his donation bowl, but my phone (and power bank) was out of battery then. So I gave him some cash.
Cashless works well… so far
So would the ¥20 I have left in my pocket enough for the remaining four days?
Apparently not – the society is not entirely cashless yet, as I realised on my eleventh day here.
I was going to my parents 300 kilometers away from Hangzhou. I rented a car and paid with Alipay on my mobile.
As I was already on the expressway, I suddenly realised …. These guys at the toll take only cash or their store valued cash, no Alipay, no WeChat, no UnionPay Quickpass (an NFC payment method).
![](https://i0.wp.com/thelowdown.momentum.asia/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/expressway.png?resize=696%2C928&ssl=1)
It took me two hours and visits at four service areas to find an ATM. In the end I had to park my car, and walk through a tunnel to a supermarket outside the expressway area to withdraw cash.
Fortunately all ATMs are connected thanks to UnionPay – you don’t need to hold that bank’s card in order to withdraw from their ATM.
Somehow this reminds me of Touch N Go in Malaysia, if you know what I mean.
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Thanks for reading The Low Down (TLD), the blog by the team at Momentum Works. Got a different perspective or have a burning opinion to share? Let us know at [email protected].