They lack any meaningful design in comparison to other currencies, since all denominations stick to mainly black and white designs with slight hints of color as they’ve remained the same for a long time. Why won’t USD switch to Polymer bills (it was first unveiled in Australia) like they’ve done in the UK or UAE for example.
Up to 1990, PRC banknotes had different portraits. I suspect many of them were “representatives” for different types of labourer or ethnic groups rather than idolizing a single figure.
For example https://en.numista.com/211574
The 100-yuan of the series features Mao with three other early leaders of the republic, but the lower notes are representatives.