China's journey toward a cashless society, as nearly everyone today uses QR code scans to spend pittance at village street kiosks or thousands at city luxury boutiques, began 25 years ago, not in a major financial city, but in pioneering Zhuhai.

The first credit card in the Chinese mainland was issued Zhuhai in 1985, 15 years after the city became a special economic zone under Reform & Opening-Up. And it all started with Zhou Bingzhi, an employee of the Bank of China (BOC) Zhuhai.

Zhou observed the convenience of using a bank card while shopping with his brother during a family visit to Hong Kong in 1984. His professional instincts had him tuned into the market prospect so he brought back to Zhuhai bank card application forms and other materials.

With the support of bank head Gu Guang, a preparatory task force was soon established. The design of the bank card featured an ancient spade coin of the Spring & Autumn (770-475 BC) and Warring States periods (475-221 BC) on the upper left, Chinese-English characters "Bank of China Zhuhai" on the upper right, and Fisher Maiden statue on the lower right.

First credit cards in the Chinese mainland [Photo provided by Bank of China Zhuhai to Zhuhai Daily]

In March 1985, BOC Zhuhai established the Zhuhai Credit Card Company and issued the BOC Card -- the first RMB credit card in the Chinese mainland for cash withdrawals, shopping, and even overdrafts. At that time, Zhuhai residents or workers could apply for a Silver Card with a deposit of more than 300 yuan ($43), or a Gold Card with a deposit of 1,000 yuan ($143).

The credit card gained instant popularity among entrepreneurs who were wary of carrying a large amount of cash. Many even regarded a Gold Card, with overdraft of 1,000 yuan, as a status symbol.

But the bank had to start from scratch before that could happen. Lacking the necessary equipment for plastic compounding and molding, printing text and images, adding the magnetic strip, etcetera, the bank had them made in Hong Kong. The design later became a standard model used as a reference by other banks.

Moreover, as there were no automatic teller machine (ATM) manufacturers in China in the mid-1980s, the first ones were bought overseas and put into use in 1986, causing a sensation in the Pearl River Delta. States the BOC on its website: "The ATM service introduced by Bank of China Zhuhai branch was a breakthrough of the traditional practice of deposit and withdrawal at a bank outlet."

The pioneering exploration and innovation of Zhuhai's financial sector didn't end there, however; it carried on with the city becoming one of five domestic cross-border RMB trade settlement pilots in 2009 and the issuance of China's first multi-currency UnionPay IC cards in 2013.

From paper bills to debit and credit cards, to mobile phone QR code scans, payment methods in the Chinese mainland continue to undergo tremendous changes. And it all began in Zhuhai.