Chinese bank pieces 32,000 yuan to help kin of deceased 'mentally ill' woman who tore notes into 100,000 pieces: Report

Four staffers of a bank in China have finally completed piecing together 32,000 yuan ($4,500) of Chinese currency that was allegedly torn by a mentally depressed woman who has now passed away, into 100,000 pieces.

A report in South China Morning Post identified a woman with a second name Zhang who had visited the bank last month seeking help. According to Zhang, her sister-in-law had torn the money five years ago as she was battling mental health issues.

Zhang reached the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) in June this year after her brother who is now a widower approached her seeking help. Father to four children, Zhang's brother is said to have been in dire need of money. He currently resides with his family in mountainous village of Sichuan province in southwest China.

Her brother visited many banks which declined his request to piece back the currency notes. However when Zhang visited him in Sichuan, her brother asked Zhang if she could take the 32,000 Yuan to Kunming, for exchange.

“My brother’s life is not easy, and if the money could be exchanged it would be a big help to them, so I decided to try my luck," said Zhang.

The ICBC bank immediately agreed to help Zhang who added, “It is the first time we have seen so many fragmented notes. There are more than 100,000 pieces with some even smaller than a fingernail."

Zhang said that the bank staff who were assigned the task to piece back the currency notes used magnifiers to identify the broken pieces, and this took 22 days of taxing work.

One of the ICBC staff was quoted by the publication as saying, “There are three types of currency with different patterns. We were quite confused at first.”

As an expression of gratitude, Zhang is said to have sent a tailor-made silk banner to ICBC. “Take people’s difficulties into consideration, solve problems and warm hearts,” the Chinese characters on the banner read.